Turkmenistan hub for Turkish contractors

ASGHABAT - Anatolia News Agency

Economy Minister Çağlayan (L) meets with Turkmen Trade Minister Abayev.

Turkish contractors will undertake projects worth a total of $4.5 billion in Turkmenistan during 2012, Economy Minister Zafer Cağlayan has said.

Çağlayan told reporters on June 28 that the volume of construction sector activity between Turkey and Turkmenistan had reached $27.5 billion.

“In 2010 we had $4.3 billion worth of contracts in Turkmenistan. In 2011, when the world was experiencing its largest economic crisis, this figure was around $3.3 billion. This year, we are hoping to surpass $4.5 billion and maybe even reach $5 billion,” said Çağlayan. According to Çağlayan this will really foster employment and Turkish exports. 

Noting that mutual visits between Turkey and Turkmenistan would continue, Cağlayan said that the Turkmen leader was set to visit Turkey in August. He also added that Turkmenistan promotion days would be held in Turkey’s southeastern Gaziantep province in September.

Çağlayan also said they were interested in other forms of investment in Turkmenistan outside of the construction sector and would hold a meeting in Istanbul in 2013 to discuss other investment opportunities.