ORIENTIR | March 26. The Turkmenistan-EU Business Forum in Ashgabat will be remembered not only for the exchange of opinions but also for the concrete financial commitments. A striking symbol of the transition from declarations to action was the ceremonial exchange of signed documents, which cemented a new level of cooperation in the field of green energy.

The terse wording "Protocol Amending the Memorandum of Understanding" conceals a decision of strategic significance. The European Union officially confirmed the allocation of additional funding of €2 million for the implementation of the flagship project "European Union for Green Development in Turkmenistan."

Furthermore, the project, which was launched in May 2024, has been extended for another year. This means that technical and expert support from the German company GIZ to key government agencies—the Ministry of Energy and the Turkmengas State Corporation—will not only continue, but will be strengthened.

This step by the EU is the best response to sceptics doubting the feasibility of a "green transition" in the region. When Brussels doubles funding and extends deadlines, it sends a signal to the market: Turkmenistan is a reliable partner with ambitious goals, ready for honest dialogue on climate change and methane emissions reduction.

The project, implemented by GIZ, focuses on two areas: political dialogue, which involves assisting in adapting legislation to global standards to make the Turkmen energy sector understandable and attractive to green investments, and climate action, which involves specific technologies for monitoring and reducing methane emissions in the gas sector, which is directly linked to the country's export potential to European markets.

The document exchange ceremony at the forum demonstrated that the Team Europe approach, which brings together the resources of the EU, member states (in this case, Germany) and development institutions, is truly working in Ashgabat.