On 2 May 2024, Turkmenistan Ambassador Batyr Rejepov met with Kanat Sharlapayev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction.
Building upon the success of their strategic partnership, trade volume reached $563 million in 2023, reflecting a significant 22.5% increase compared to the previous year (according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction).
During the meeting, the Turkmen delegation expressed interest in purchasing fittings from Kazakhstan, following a planned working group meeting scheduled for May to address increasing trade volume and diversifying product exchange.
Kanat Sharlapayev, responding to Turkmenistan’s proposal, tasked the Industry Committee with exploring the possibility of supplying construction materials for a major upcoming project of Ashgabat-city.
Ambassador Rejepov further suggested the inclusion of cement and glass in the trade mix, to which Minister Sharlapayev confirmed Kazakhstan’s openness to collaboration in the glass industry.
The discussion also touched upon agricultural cooperation. Turkmenistan expressed interest in acquiring leonardite, a natural mineral complex with applications in agriculture, animal feed, and soil improvement, readily available in Kazakhstan.
The meeting concluded with discussions on exchanging expertise in urban planning, architectural design, and earthquake-resistant construction practices.