The Turkmen-Austrian business forum that brought together the members of the delegation of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, the high-ranking officials and businessmen of the Republic of Austria as well as the representatives of a number of leading European companies took place at the Savoyen Vienna Hotel in Vienna.
All together, over 130 Turkmen and foreign companies had an opportunity to discuss the areas of common interest.According to the members of our delegation, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attaches an important role to the cooperation with European partners, including the establishment of the direct contacts between the business structures, creating all necessary conditions for the development of the Turkmen entrepreneurship.
Vice-President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Richard Schenz and Secretary-General Karlheinz Kopf welcomed the forum participants.The Regional Manager for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Dr.
Michael Angerer, President of the European Brand Institute Gerhard Hrebicek and EBRD Director for Central Asia Neil McKain made the presentation on the important areas of cooperation.The officials representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria, the Ministry of Economy, the Austrian Business Agency, the Federation of Austrian Industries, the Business Council for Central Asia of the Federal Republic of Germany, the European Union Project "Support to Public Administration Capacity Building" and the EU Project SARD III "Support for Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development in Turkmenistan" attended the business forum A video film demonstrated during the forum told about the economic potential of modern Turkmenistan.
The possibilities to bring the relations in various fields of economy and investment, in the sphere of high technologies, as well as the opportunities for expanding trade between Turkmenistan and Austria to a new level were discussed during the meeting.
The forum participants reviewed the status of the trade and economic relations between the two countries, analyzed the prospects for further interaction and outlined specific plans for joint work on priority areas.
Recognizing the existing potential for cooperation, the meeting participants came to the opinion that it was necessary to search for new forms of cooperation and discussed the proposals put forward to the forum agenda.
In particular, the meeting participants focused on the capacities of the representative office of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, opened in Vienna in June 2017, which is to become a link between the business circles of our country and Europe, to promote the increase of export-import operations and volumes of mutually exchanged goods and services, as well as to develop the relations between the economic entities of the two states.
In this context, the meeting participants spoke about the experience and technologies of Austrian companies to create the industrial and service enterprises in our country, to promote Turkmen products to the markets of Austria and other countries of the European Union.
Particular importance in this process is given to the exchange of delegations, the organization of working visits, internships and study tours, the participation in major international forums on various topics, in industry exhibitions.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, the Trade Mission of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria and its consultant in Ashgabat, which provides assistance to the business circles of the two countries, play a significant role in the development of fruitful relations.
All this demonstrates the stable interest in long-term partnership, the participation in the implementation of programs on the economic reforms initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, in particular, the development of joint projects for the construction of production facilities in Turkmenistan, the supply of the advanced equipment for the production of food and other products among others.
The heads of such large enterprises as Hazar Balyk OJSC, Gush Toplumy, Hosh Zaman Economic Society and Bereketli, Beyik Yupek Yoly Individual Enterprise, Deryaplastic Economic Society and many others, including travel companies, processors of agricultural products, manufacturers of building materials, etc.
presented Turkmen business at the forum.Our delegation also included the representatives of the Turkmen National Organization for Barcodes, Rysgal Bank, Avtoban and Turkmen Kaliy Limited Companies, the Transport and Logistics Association of Turkmenistan and the Turkmen Trade House in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan.
The well-known companies, including the long-standing partner of Turkmenistan in the printing industry - Heidelberg, as well as Deloitte Austria, Engineering Dobersek GmbH, Nourivit, Gebrüder Weiss, Rail Çargo Austria, Global GAP, etc.
took part in the forum.Transport and logistics, construction and infrastructure, industrial and agricultural technologies, food industry, etc.were specified among the priority areas of cooperation.Particular attention was paid to the European experience in the field of mining and construction of autobahns in the framework of the implementation of projects entrusted to domestic entrepreneurs.
The state programmes on import substitution and export stimulation, in accordance with which dozens of innovative enterprises are planned to be built in our country, including the production of a wide range of construction, chemical, household and other products based on local raw materials; the programmes on processing and production of various types of fish products were discussed during the meeting.
Numerous projects implemented in the field of the chemical industry, light industry, engineering, etc.in Turkmenistan are also aimed at the comprehensive development of natural and mineral resources.
The government has entrusted the implementation of these programs on the Union to the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.Emphasizing the great prospects of the Turkmen-Austrian cooperation, the heads of delegations expressed confidence that the new agreements achieved during the current business forum, the counter-intentions, which are fixed in the relevant protocols (more than 10 bilateral documents), would contribute to the further development of full-scale partnership.
The possibilities of investment cooperation, the prospects for establishing joint ventures, developing the partnership in the chemical industry, organizing cargo transportation, supplying innovative equipment, etc.were discussed in the framework of bilateral talks.
The import of ecologically pure Turkmen fruits and melons to Europe was of great interest for the forum participants.In order to exchange experience in the field of modern technologies, the study tours to the leading Austrian enterprises were arranged for the Turkmen delegation.