Turkmenistan: 24th Meeting of the Joint Committee with the EU held in Ashgabat
The European Union and Turkmenistan held their 24th Joint Committee on 7 November, in Ashgabat. The two sides exchanged on the progress made in the relations between the EU and Turkmenistan, particularly, in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy and environment, and a number of other areas of cooperation.
Both sides confirmed and welcomed the continued deepening of relations between the EU and Central Asia in the course of 2025. The two parties discussed the macroeconomic situation in the EU and Turkmenistan, emphasizing the benefits of expanding economic cooperation. In this context, the expected benefits of the upcoming EU-Central Asia Economic Forum in Tashkent on 26 November this year were highlighted. The EU underscored its regional approach to connectivity, and both sides reviewed and exchanged on latest developments on the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, in preparation of the second edition of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and Connectivity Investors Forum in Tashkent on 27 November 2025.
The EU and Turkmenistan took stock of ongoing regional and bilateral cooperation programmes, including the regional Global Gateway Flagship Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate Change. The EU highlighted the potential for enhancing bilateral trade ties and encouraged Turkmenistan to continue work on improving the investment climate. The EU reiterated its support for Turkmenistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization, including through ongoing and upcoming technical assistance programmes. Furthermore, both sides expressed willingness to increase cooperation in support of the green transition, including renewable energy. The parties also discussed prospects for developing cooperation in education and people-to-people contacts.
The EU expressed concern about the overall human rights situation in Turkmenistan and underlined in particular the overarching importance of rule of law, good governance and the respect for human rights as core elements of enhanced bilateral relations.
During the discussion on cooperation in political and security matters, both sides stressed the need to strengthen multilateralism. Recalling the broader geopolitical context, the EU condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and invited Turkmenistan to continue to uphold a steadfast stand supporting international law and the principles of the UN Charter.