Turkmenistan Outlines Key Priorities at the "Central Asia – EU" Forum in Brussels
The first Forum of Strategic Institutes within the "Central Asia – European Union" framework took place at the European External Action Service in Brussels. Organized with the support of the EU Special Representative for Central Asia and the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), the event brought together heads of think tanks, diplomats, and prominent European experts. The Turkmen delegation was represented by Batyr Niyazliyev, an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ambassador Sapar Palvanov.
A central theme of the Turkmen side’s remarks was the call to move beyond the mere declaration of intentions toward the practical implementation of large-scale infrastructure initiatives. Discussions focused on the prospects for supplying Turkmen natural gas to the European market, integrating the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi into the Trans-Caspian transport corridor, and attracting European technologies and investments under the "Global Gateway" initiative.
A dedicated segment of the discussions addressed the expansion of direct business and humanitarian partnerships. In this context, Turkmenistan’s proposal to host a "Central Asia – EU" Economic Forum in 2027 took on particular significance. Furthermore, during a session on public diplomacy, the European expert community was briefed on the successful organization of the first World Championship of Akhal-Teke horses in the Netherlands—an example that highlighted the great potential of cultural projects in fostering closer ties between the business and public spheres of the two regions.
