Talks between the President of Turkmenistan and the Prime Minister of Malaysia
On June 19, talks between President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, who arrived in the Turkmen capital on an official visit were held in Ashgabat. This first visit by a Malaysian head of government to Ashgabat underscored the strategic nature of bilateral relations, which have been developing for over thirty years. During the meetings, both in private and in an expanded format, the parties emphasized their mutual commitment to close partnership on the global stage.
In particular, Ashgabat designated Malaysia as a key partner in the context of interaction with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where Kuala Lumpur traditionally plays a leading role, and reaffirmed its readiness to support initiatives of the Global South.
The most important geoeconomic focus of the negotiations was the parties' desire to facilitate the development of new transport and logistics corridors on the Asian continent and strengthen interregional dialogue between Central and Southeast Asia. The parties agreed that international transport projects in the East-West direction have the potential to fundamentally transform the macro-region's trade architecture.
The key and most significant outcome of the talks was the fuel and energy sector. The oil and gas sector was affirmed as a strategic axis of Turkmen-Malaysian cooperation. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov praised the long-standing work of the Malaysian state-owned giant Petronas, which has been successfully operating in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea since 1996.
The main economic component of the visit was the preparation of a package of documents, based on which Petronas will soon begin large-scale development of fundamentally new hydrocarbon deposits in the Turkmen part of the Caspian Sea, as well as in-depth research into promising offshore oil and gas complexes. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in turn, emphasized Malaysia's interest in learning from Turkmenistan's wealth of experience in the energy sector and its commitment to diversifying technological exchanges.
In the area of practical economics, the parties agreed to intensify cooperation in high-tech industries, the financial and banking sector, the textile industry, urban development, and the halal industry.
An important step in the transportation sector was the proposal by the President of Turkmenistan to establish a specialized logistics center (hub) in Malaysia for the supply and distribution of products manufactured in Turkmenistan to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. To systematically implement these large-scale plans and coordinate business, the parties announced the creation of a joint Intergovernmental Commission.
The visit culminated in the signing of a final Joint Statement by the two leaders, as well as the exchange of a package of intergovernmental documents, including: an Air Services Agreement and a Memorandum between the Turkmenhowaýollary State Service and the Malaysian Ministry of Transport; a Memorandum of Cooperation in Diplomatic Personnel Training; and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Academies of Sciences of Turkmenistan and Malaysia.
The humanitarian component of the visit included the expansion of academic mobility programs. Malaysia's National University Tenaga (UNITEN) signed student exchange agreements with three leading technical universities in Turkmenistan: the Oguz Khan University of Engineering and Technology, the Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering, and the State Energy Institute.
Following the meeting, Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Anwar Ibrahim stated that the visit was a historic milestone, transforming the investment and technological partnership between the two countries into long-term strategic projects.
