The 23rd Joint Committee meeting between Turkmenistan and the European Union took place on Wednesday in Brussels, Belgium, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
Minister of Finance and Economy Serdar Jorayev led the Turkmen delegation, which included representatives from the ministries of ecology, education, foreign affairs, finance, and economy, as well as the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.
The European Union side was headed by Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service. The EU delegation included representatives from various directorates, covering trade, international partnerships, transport, energy, education and culture, as well as research and innovation.
The meeting addressed issues of trade cooperation, including support for Turkmenistan's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), macroeconomic trends in both countries, transport connectivity, and digitalization. The discussions also focused on energy, environmental protection, and sustainable development, including water resource management, methane emission reduction, and the prospects for renewable energy utilization.
The Turkmen side presented its initiatives in these areas, while the EU outlined opportunities for collaboration through various programs and projects, including BOMCA and CADAP. The humanitarian agenda included discussions on educational and cultural exchanges.
The meeting concluded with discussions on the prospects for further strengthening bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the EU. Both sides emphasized the importance of regular meetings to deepen cooperation.