Turkmenistan: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, President of Turkmenistan, received Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who is currently on an official visit to the Central Asian country.
The two sides discussed ways of developing and strengthening the relations of friendship and cooperation between the UAE and Turkmenistan in various fields including the economy, investment, infrastructure and renewable energy, to achieve the aspirations of the two countries and their peoples. They also exchanged views on the latest developments in the region and a number of regional and international issues of common concern.
In addition, Shaikh Abdullah chaired a meeting of the UAE-Turkmenistan Joint Ministerial Committee in Ashgabat on Wednesday.
He thanked Turkmenistan for hosting the meeting, expressing the hope that the committee would succeed in reaching its desired goals in serving the common interests of the two friendly countries.
In his opening remarks, Shaikh Abdullah said, “This meeting is a valuable opportunity to promote and develop bilateral relations and is an effective platform for discussing proposals and practical solutions to improve the those relations.”
Shaikh Abdullah said the UAE is eager to enhance its cooperation with Turkmenistan in various fields, including energy, renewable energy, transportation, telecommunications, logistics, banking, meteorology, tourism, culture and the environment, as well as in the private sector.
Commenting on existing significant collaborations between the two countries in the fields of renewable energy, Shaikh Abdullah noted the successful partnership between the UAE’s Dragon Oil, an upstream oil and gas company, and the Government of Turkmenistan. Dragon is one of the largest companies investing in the oil sector in Turkmenistan and produces around 100,000 barrels per day.
He said, “Investments between the two countries are still in their early stages ... However, we expect them to witness a steady growth following the agreement to protect and encourage investment, and the amendment of the convention on the avoidance of double taxation on income between the two countries.”
According to 2016 statistics, more than 1,600 Turkmens reside in the UAE, while the number of Turkmen tourists visiting the UAE reached more than 28,000 this year, reflecting the development of tourism, trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries, Shaikh Abdullah said. He also welcomed the idea of establishing a working group representing the private sector in both countries.
Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Turkmen Council of Ministers and Foreign Minister, who headed the Turkmen side during the meeting, welcomed Shaikh Abdullah’s visit and referred to the deep bilateral relations between the two governments.
Later, the two ministers signed a protocol of the UAE-Turkmen Second Joint Committee.
Shaikh Abdullah and Meredov also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and the Government of Turkmenistan to contribute to the financing of a number of development projects.
