nCa Report
Turkmenistan is showcasing its ambitions as a digital and logistics hub through two parallel international forums currently underway in the capital: the 18th International Exhibition and Scientific Conference “Türkmentel-2025” and the International Conference and Exhibition “International Transport Corridors: Connectivity and Development – 2025” (ITTC 2025).
Strategic Partnerships and Agreements
The second day of the forums proved highly productive, with multiple bilateral agreements signed that will shape regional cooperation for years to come. Key memoranda were concluded in telecommunications, cybersecurity, and transport infrastructure:
Digital Infrastructure and Security:
- Turkmentelecom and Kyrgyzstan’s Kyrgyztelecom agreed to organize transit of telecommunications flows, strengthening Central Asia’s role as a digital corridor
- The Ministry of Communications signed cybersecurity partnerships with American firm Palo Alto Networks and French company Thales DIS France, taking a multi-vector approach to protecting national information systems
- A cooperation agreement with Estonia’s e-Governance Academy will facilitate knowledge exchange in digital government services development
Transport Development:
- The Ministry of Railway Transport and China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd. signed a memorandum opening doors to joint projects for modernizing railway infrastructure
Digital Government Takes Shape
A major announcement concerned Turkmenistan’s launch of the X-Road platform, a national data exchange system enabling secure electronic information transfer between government agencies. The platform replaces traditional paper-based systems across medicine, education, and government services.
Under the “Electronic Government” program, citizens will soon obtain certificates and documents from various agencies through a single application. Several ministries have already connected to the system, with accelerated expansion planned to maximize accessibility of digital services.
5G Expansion and Smart City Development
Nokia, celebrating a 20-year partnership with state-owned company Altyn Asyr, outlined plans to expand fifth-generation (5G) network coverage throughout Turkmenistan. The company emphasized that 5G implementation will benefit economic sectors, particularly the fuel and energy complex, where facilities often operate in remote areas requiring uninterrupted connectivity.
Nokia proposed implementing video surveillance projects and providing technical support for logistics and navigation services in the energy sector, expressing readiness to deepen partnerships with government agencies, hydrocarbon companies, and logistics centers.
Meanwhile, details emerged about the second phase of construction for Arkadag, Turkmenistan’s smart city project.
Plans include smart transportation systems with intelligent traffic lights, smart meters and utility systems, a modern bus station utilizing electric vehicles, and a railway station. Korean partners are supplying technological components for the facilities being built by domestic companies.
Building a Startup Ecosystem
Communications Minister Khadzhimurat Khudaykuliyev announced the modernization of the Sanly Çözgüt National IT Park, positioning it as a dynamic innovation hub for startups, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors. The minister emphasized that the facility will serve as a catalyst for job creation and digital skills development.
Speaking at the International Startup Forum—organized in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)—Khudaykuliyev linked national digital priorities with Turkmenistan’s broader foreign policy agenda, noting the President’s recent participation in the “Central Asia + USA” summit in Washington where support for tech entrepreneurship was affirmed.
Strategic priorities outlined by the minister include developing telecommunications infrastructure, launching digital platforms in education and healthcare, ensuring digital inclusion, and training qualified personnel in ICT and artificial intelligence. The national communications satellite “TurkmenAlem52E” is being leveraged to expand high-speed internet access, especially in rural areas.
International Recognition and Support
The forums attracted strong international participation and endorsement:
OSCE Commitment: Rune Kastberg, Acting Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, emphasized the organization’s support for Turkmenistan’s transport corridor digitalization efforts. He highlighted ongoing projects to strengthen border service capacity, align the trading system with international standards, and promote “Green Ports and Connectivity in the Caspian Sea and Beyond.”
Maritime Safety Standards: Sergey Kulikov, Director General of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, discussed the critical role of classification societies in global logistics sustainability. He highlighted the Register’s leadership in autonomous vessel regulations and cybersecurity standards, noting that three autonomous vessels—including two large Russian ferries with over 230,000 nautical miles of autonomous operation—are successfully operating under their certification.
Road Transport Innovation: Umberto de Pretto, Secretary General of the International Road Transport Union (IRU), praised Turkmenistan as “a global model” for transit corridor development and TIR system implementation. He noted that Turkmenistan has allocated priority lanes for TIR trucks at all major border crossings and signed protocols for e-CMR implementation—a global standard for paperless consignment notes. The TIR system can reduce border crossing times by up to 92%, transport costs by up to 50%, and CO₂ emissions in border areas by up to 90%.
Aviation Expansion
S7 Airlines announced plans to launch direct flights from Turkmenistan to Novosibirsk in spring 2026, adding to its existing seven weekly flights on the Moscow-Ashgabat route operated since 2008.
Turkmenistan Airlines continues strengthening its Chinese market presence through digital transformation. Working with its 20-year partner Beijing Everlasting Business Travel Management, the airline has shifted from traditional sales models to a hybrid approach incorporating online channels and AI-powered tools. Despite macroeconomic challenges affecting Chinese outbound tourism, the company is focusing on resilience through flexible pricing, targeted marketing, and operational automation.
Looking Forward
The forums demonstrate Turkmenistan’s commitment to positioning itself at the intersection of digital innovation and physical connectivity. With participation from major global companies including Huawei, IBM, Cisco, Mitsubishi, and others, the events showcase the country’s readiness for technological modernization and its strategic importance in linking China with Europe and the Middle East through the Belt and Road Initiative.
UNDP Resident Representative Narine Saakyan noted that the partnerships established during the forums “will help the country strengthen its digital governance capacity, share knowledge, and implement innovative solutions that promote public administration and digital transformation.”
The forums continue to serve not merely as platforms for dialogue, but as effective centers for decision-making and establishing strategic partnerships that will facilitate structural transformation of Turkmenistan’s economy and strengthen its regional role. /// nCa, 14 November 2025