On 22 May 2026, during an expanded-format meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government in Ashgabat, Hojamyrat Geldimyradov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, delivered a speech. In his address, he outlined Ashgabat’s key priorities within the Commonwealth, highlighted a record growth in mutual trade, and proposed concrete steps for the development of logistics and digitalization.
Economic Breakthrough: Figures and Facts
Amid global challenges and the transformation of the world economy, the Commonwealth countries “face serious global challenges, the transformation of the world economy, changes in the structure of international trade and trade flows, technological competition, and increased requirements for the resilience of logistics routes and financial systems.” Under these circumstances, coordinated approaches based on pragmatism, mutual benefit, and a long-term strategic vision are particularly in demand, the Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister stated.
As the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized, the CIS member states remain the country’s most vital trade and economic partners.
“The share of the Commonwealth states in Turkmenistan’s foreign trade continues to grow. By the end of 2025, Turkmenistan’s trade turnover with CIS countries amounted to over US $ 4 billion, increasing by 7.2% compared to the previous year,” Geldimyradov reported.
This positive dynamic is accelerating rapidly this year. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, trade volume reached US $ 1.8 billion, or 30% up y-on-y basis.
According to Geldimyradov, Turkmenistan’s trade and economic ties are developing most actively with the Russian Federation, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Belarus, and other Commonwealth states, with which Ashgabat considers it essential to further expand partnership.
Promising Areas of CIS Cooperation – Ashgabat’s Vision
Geldimyradov highlighted three main vectors as the most promising areas for Turkmenistan’s cooperation:
- Transport and Logistics. The development of this sector was named the linchpin of production ties among CIS countries. Key assets here include the Turkmenbashi International Seaport, the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway route, and multimodal transportation. A major milestone in April was the opening of the 600-kilometer Ashgabat–Turkmenabat high-speed highway, designed to significantly reduce delivery times and expand transit cargo flows.
- Digital Transformation. Turkmenistan actively supports the implementation of IT solutions in transport, logistics, and trade, the development of electronic document management, and the joint training of modern engineering and IT personnel.
- Industrial Cooperation. High potential was noted for large-scale joint projects in energy, the chemical industry, the mining and metallurgical complex, the textile industry, and the production of building materials.
The Humanitarian Dimension
“Turkmenistan, as an associate member of the CIS, reaffirms its commitment to developing constructive economic cooperation across the Commonwealth space,” Geldimyradov stated.
In the humanitarian agenda, Ashgabat officially supported the decision to declare new CIS Youth Capitals: the city of Minsk (Republic of Belarus) in 2027 and the city of Karaganda (Republic of Kazakhstan) in 2028. “We view humanitarian and youth cooperation as an important factor in strengthening friendship, mutual understanding, and long-term ties between our states,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.
Concluding his speech, Hojamyrat Geldimyradov expressed deep gratitude to the CIS Executive Committee, relevant Commonwealth bodies, and experts who contributed to the high-quality preparation of materials for today’s meeting, wishing all delegates fruitful work and further success in strengthening equal partnership across the CIS space.///nCa, 22 May 2026