As Turkmenistan gets ready for its negotiations to join the World Trade Organization, a high-level delegation travelled to its neighbouring country Kazakhstan to learn from their experience.
Kazakhstan joined the World Trade Organizion (WTO) in 2015, which means its advice can help orient Turkmenistan strategically for the complex process that goes along with joining the WTO.
A Turkmen delegation led by Ylham Yarashov, head of the Ministry of Finance and Economy’s WTO cooperation department, included officials from the Cabinet of Ministers, Parliament, and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Trade and Foreign Economic Relations, along with the representatives from the Central Bank and State Customs Service.
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration Zhanel Kushukova met with the delegation and assured them of Kazakhstan’s readiness to cooperate with Turkmenistan as it embarks on its bid to join the global economy.
The three-day visit included advisory briefings and technical discussions. The delegation also met with officials of the Ministry of Trade and Integration and the Centre for Trade Policy Development QazTrade – institutions that were directly involved in Kazakhstan’s WTO negotiations.
As Turkmenistan is in the initial phases of its journey towards WTO accession, the exchanges covered the broad spectrum of issues that need to be addressed to qualify for WTO membership.
The rationale for Turkmenistan’s WTO aspirations is to grow its economy through increased trade and foreign investment. It is anticipated that the reforms that will accompany this process will also spur on greater cooperation and trade with neighbouring countries in Central Asia. The Astana mission therefore also signaled the willingness of both countries to kindle joint cooperation.
The mission was organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC) in June, under the European Union-funded project Turkmenistan: Enhancing Trade Resilience and Integration.
Workshop to prepare for negotiations
Earlier in May, the project also delivered a workshop for Turkmen government officials on the technical aspects of negotiating market access on goods under the WTO framework.
These negotiations will determine the conditions under which imported goods and foreign service providers will access Turkmenistan’s market.
The 40 participants represent the key ministries that will oversee Turkmenistan’s WTO accession negotiations.
Among other skills, they learned how to prepare the initial schedules of tariff concessions, which will form the basis for the negotiations.