The third session of the Hungary-Turkmenistan Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) on Economic Cooperation was held in Ashgabat on 15-16 June 2017, chaired by Minister of State for Security Policy and International Cooperation Dr. István Mikola and Turkmenistan’s Minister of Economy and Development Batir Bazarov.
Hungary is paying particular attention to the Central Asian region in accordance with its Eastern opening policy, in which it regards Turkmenistan as an important partner. We are linked by several common goals and challenges: primarily the development of economic and trade relations, energy security, and action against terrorism and illegal migration.
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At the meeting of the IGC, the parties reviewed development opportunities within the fields of trade, energy, transport, agriculture and the food industry, water management, healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry, and existing areas of cooperation including education, science, environmental protection, sport, culture and tourism.
Turkmenistan could act as a potential source country for the diversification of Europe’s energy supply, and accordingly also that of Hungary, thus increasing our energy security. Cooperation could expand within the field of agriculture through the sharing of Hungarian expertise relating to the selective breeding of drought-tolerant crops, and via the application of Hungary’s experience within the field of food safety.
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As a country with a widely acknowledged expertise in water management and the related infrastructure, Hungary wishes to continue its international role within the field of water and sanitation management, and is ready to cooperate on Turkmenistani water management products. Hungary has offered 20 scholarship places for students from Turkmenistan to attend Hungarian universities within the framework of the Stipendium Hungaricum programme.
During the negotiations the parties agreed that on the importance of expanding contractual relations between the two countries, and of continuation of high-level dialogue, with relation to which they called for the further reinforcement of relations between the two countries’ parliaments.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. István Mikola held bilateral talks with the Turkmenistani Foreign Minister, and with representatives of the country’s Ministry of Commerce and Foreign Trade, Ministry of Agriculture and Water, and Association of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
