President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in his welcoming message to the participants of the international conference “The Role of Interregional Economic Cooperation in Ensuring Sustainable Development,” which opened in Ashgabat on March 19, noted that Turkmenistan sees great potential for regional cooperation in developing energy and transport systems.

“This forum plays a great role in ensuring economic stability in the Central and South Asian region, effectively implementing energy, transport and infrastructure projects, as well as increasing investment potential in the relevant areas”, the President’s message, published in the central media of Turkmenistan, says.

“There are ample opportunities in the Central and East Asian region to intensify the implementation of international projects and establish multilateral cooperation. Our country is actively implementing regional energy, transport and infrastructure projects, consistently developing mutually beneficial partnerships with countries around the world and major international organizations”, the head of state noted.

"All this is of great geopolitical and geoeconomic importance and plays an important role in ensuring energy security in the region, the interconnection of transport and transit corridors, and the active attraction of investments in national and regional projects", Serdar Berdimuhamedov said in his message.

"The main vectors of interaction include the development of energy and transport systems, and the implementation of other infrastructure projects. We see great potential in regional cooperation in these areas", the President noted.

"As one of the energy-powerful states in the region, Turkmenistan is today becoming a crossroads of international transport and transit corridors. This is evidenced by the adoption of resolutions related to the transport sector and energy security at the initiative of our neutral country by the UN General Assembly, as well as major projects implemented in these areas in recent years", Serdar Berdimuhamedov said.

"In September last year, Turkmenistan began implementing a new stage of construction of a number of major facilities of international importance. A 177-kilometer-long railway bridge was opened on the Turkmen-Afghan border of the Serhetabat-Turgundi railway corridor, construction of the Serhetabat-Herat gas pipeline, called "Arkadagyň ak ýoly", the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India transnational gas pipeline, a warehouse complex in the "dry port" of the Turgundi railway station, the Turgundi-Sanabar section of the first stage of the Turgundi-Herat railway was launched. Also, as part of the implementation of the first stage of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan power transmission line project in the Afghan province of Herat, the head of state recalled. Located at the crossroads of international routes in the region, Turkmenistan is strengthening the infrastructure of the main transport and transit corridors in order to revive the Great Silk Road. From this point of view, we attach particular importance to cooperation between the countries of the region within the framework of the North-South transport corridor project, which leads to the ports of the Indian Ocean. This international transport and transit corridor, connecting the countries of Central and South Asia, is of great importance in increasing cargo flows and enhancing the transit capabilities of the states participating in the project”, the President noted.

“Our country is carrying out comprehensive work to modernize the infrastructure of the fuel and energy complex. Turkmenistan is among the first countries in the world in terms of reserves of “blue fuel.” Electricity production volumes are regularly increasing, and export potential is growing. Given the growing demand for energy resources in the world day by day, our country considers the activation and bringing to a new level of interregional ties in the implementation of energy projects as the main tasks”, the President emphasized. The head of Turkmenistan expressed confidence that “This international conference, held with the aim of increasing regional economic cooperation, will contribute to strengthening constructive relations between the states of Central and South Asia, discussing modern trends in the implementation of fuel and energy, transport and transit and infrastructure projects, as well as attracting investment in them”.