The Turkmenistan Investment Forum (TIF 2026) started Thursday morning in Ashgabat. The plenary session started with the address of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, read by Hojamyrat Geldimyradov, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy, Finance and Banking.
nCa has already published the essence of the presidential address, available at these links:
The plenary session was moderated by Ms. Xiaojun Grace Wang — United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan.
The minister of finance and economy of Turkmenistan, Mammetguly Astanagulov, spoke about the state of economy and the available and emerging opportunities for investment.
Distinguished Participants of the Investment Forum of Turkmenistan!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Guests!
First of all, allow me to extend a most sincere welcome to all of you and wish you successful and fruitful work within the framework of this forum, constructive meetings, and new promising projects.
Today’s forum is attended by over 850 delegates, including nearly 370 foreign guests representing around 50 states. We view this as a true manifestation of respect for our country, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to close cooperation.
On September 27, our country celebrated its main national holiday — the 35th anniversary of independence. Over these years, Turkmenistan has built an industrially advanced state with modern transport and logistics infrastructure and a high standard of living for its citizens. Our nation maintains friendly relations with countries worldwide, as well as with international organizations and financial institutions, many of whose representatives are present in this hall today. Welcome to Turkmenistan, dear friends!
Distinguished Forum Participants!
The global economy and international trade continue to experience the impacts of serious geopolitical and geoeconomic factors. Traditional supply chains are being restructured, the imperatives of transport and energy connectivity are intensifying, digital transformation is accelerating, and the environmental dimension of investment cooperation is gaining importance. Under these conditions, special emphasis is placed on strengthening economic interaction with the states of the region and expanding into new markets.
Under the leadership of the esteemed President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, our country continues its confident socio-economic development, oriented toward stable, sustainable economic growth and improving the well-being of its citizens.
Great importance is attached to maintaining economic stability through an effective combination of credit, tax, and pricing instruments. Reforms aimed at integrating digital technologies into the banking sector and upgrading the national payment system are ongoing. We remain committed to fostering an industrial-innovative model of societal development, diversifying the economy, and implementing comprehensive reforms across all its sectors.
Our country strives to create a competitive business and investment environment that guarantees favorable conditions for business development, including through the stimulation of market activity and entrepreneurship.
One of our primary objectives is to significantly raise the level of socio-economic development through the modernization of the national economy and the expansion of the financial market. The investment policy pursued in our country serves as a key driver for the sustainable development of the national economy. The highest priority sectors for investment include the oil and gas and petrochemical industries, energy, construction, transport, and the agro-industrial complex. Successfully implemented investment projects across various economic sectors consistently strengthen our state’s economic capacity.
Over the past five years, Turkmenistan’s GDP has increased by 1.5 times. At the end of 2025, this figure exceeded 77.4 billion US dollars. The GDP growth rate remains consistently high at 6.3%.
Our macroeconomic policies contribute to high resilience and stability, keeping inflation low — which stood at 3.2% at the end of 2025, and at 3.6% for the first half of the current year.
Last year, total investments exceeded 13.8 billion US dollars, while exports surpassed 11.2 billion US dollars. This positive growth dynamic continues to strengthen this year.
Turkmenistan maintains a prudent domestic and foreign debt policy. There is no domestic debt, and external debt stood at 3% of GDP at the end of 2025.
Distinguished Forum Participants!
Investment in the economy is a crucial factor driving economic development, growth, stability, and national prosperity. We consider the following to be key priorities for investment cooperation: the further expansion of mutual trade and the removal of existing barriers. In this regard, we deem it essential to continue efforts toward reducing administrative and technical hurdles, streamlining customs procedures, developing electronic document management, and creating more favorable conditions for businesses entering the markets of neighboring countries and the region.
In 2025, our country’s foreign trade turnover increased by nearly 11% compared to 2024. This year, export and import dynamics show significant growth compared to the previous year.
Ongoing economic reforms aim to transform Turkmenistan into an advanced industrial and high-tech manufacturing hub. Industrial investment is a vital avenue, serving as the backbone of our national economy and accounting for over 30% of GDP.
The country’s economic growth, socio-economic capacity, living standards, and role in the international division of labor largely depend on the development and efficiency of this sector. Today, it is essential to form new value chains, establish joint ventures, and channel investments toward leveraging our scientific and technical potential more actively.
A key task in investment cooperation is the modernization of the oil and gas sector based on advanced technological achievements. Major projects for the extraction, processing, and export of hydrocarbon resources, as well as the development of new fields, are already being implemented on a programmatic basis.
Specifically, the construction of the Serhetabat–Herat section of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline is progressing. New facilities within the gas processing complex and oil refineries are under construction, and effective measures are being taken to modernize the Seydi Oil Refinery.
The phased development of “Galkynysh” — one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon fields — continues successfully. This process enables a significant expansion of the country’s industrialization and reinforces its position as a major energy power.
We are continuing large-scale construction of industrial infrastructure. In the building materials industry, the volume and range of manufactured products are systematically increasing. Active steps are being taken to establish new chemical production facilities, including expanding the output of mineral fertilizers. Effective measures are also being implemented to ensure reliable electricity generation and uninterrupted supply to domestic consumers.
The potential of the energy sector will increase significantly with the launch this year of a modern hybrid wind-and-solar power plant in the Gyzylarbat district of Balkan province. Simultaneously, another combined-cycle power plant is being constructed at an accelerated pace in the Turkmenbashi district of Balkan province.
Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are becoming major economic drivers. Digital transformation opens up promising avenues for investment cooperation. The application of digital solutions in trade, transport, customs administration, finance, and economic data exchange will significantly reduce costs and enhance production efficiency.
Accordingly, our country is actively working to establish smart logistics systems, implement digital monitoring of production processes, and utilize automated control systems to optimize resources and increase operational efficiency. We encourage cooperation in digital governance, cybersecurity, telecommunications, financial technologies, electronic services, as well as the digitalization of the agro-industrial complex, transport and construction infrastructure, scientific facilities, and the deployment of smart monitoring and management systems in the power sector.
I would like to emphasize that Turkmenistan attaches great importance to developing regional digital and transport-logistics corridors utilizing artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud systems to track and optimize cargo flows, which further fosters investment cooperation.
Our state’s geographical location creates unique opportunities for establishing transit transport routes connecting Europe and Asia, the Middle East, and the Caspian region. Enhancing transport connectivity is becoming a pivotal factor for investment, aimed at expanding trade and deepening economic cooperation. This entails not only constructing new transport infrastructure, but also ensuring closer integration of rail, road, and maritime routes, developing multimodal transport, upgrading border infrastructure, reducing transit times, and broadly adopting digital transport solutions. The North–South and East–West international transport corridors, as well as the development of connections across the Caspian Sea, hold special significance.
To modernize highways and ensure compliance with international standards, the material and technical base of the relevant sector is being consistently reinforced. Construction of major national highways is progressing effectively. This year, a new Mary–Turkmenabat section of the Ashgabat–Turkmenabat highway, with a total length of 600 km, was commissioned. Road construction along the Turkmenbashi–Kazakhstan border route is proceeding at an accelerated pace. Furthermore, this year we plan to commence the reconstruction of the vital Ashgabat–Dashoguz highway.
Distinguished Forum Participants!
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that Turkmenistan creates all the necessary conditions for both domestic and foreign investors who come to work and invest in our country. We fully support and guarantee their activities. Our doors are always open to you, a solid legal framework protecting investor rights has been established, and our hardworking people are ready for fruitful cooperation.
Once again, I express my heartfelt gratitude to every investor, representative of foreign governments, and international organization who has joined us for this forum.
I wish you all great success! Thank you! /// nCa, 1 October 2026