Interview with National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on Al Arabiya

Due to the well-considered policy successfully implemented under the visionary leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Turkmenistan’s position on the global political and economic stage is steadily strengthening. In this regard, our country’s interactions with members of the global community and international organizations are becoming increasingly active.

During his visit to the United States, National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov gave an interview to Riz Khan, host of Al Arabiya TV, which has a multi-million audience.

During the conversation, the National Leader of the Turkmen people outlined the main goals of his visit to the United States, described the current state and prospects for developing the bilateral partnership, and discussed in detail the priority areas of Turkmenistan’s domestic and foreign policy.

The interview between the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan and the host of a popular television channel was a clear evidence of the international community’s keen interest in Turkmenistan, as well as the significance of our country’s initiatives and the steady growth of its standing on the international stage.

What are the main goals of your visit to the United States of America?

“I am very glad that our meeting is taking place at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. I sincerely hope that the prayers for the well-being of humanity, for peace, a peaceful and happy life throughout the world, will be heard and accepted by the Almighty. First of all, I would like to thank our American partners for the excellent organization of this visit, its rich program, and the hospitality they have shown. I would like to highlight the acceleration of the traditionally friendly and constructive cooperation between Turkmenistan and the United States of America, based on mutual benefit. Bilateral relations encompass virtually all key areas, including politics, economics, culture, education, science, and sports. We attach great importance to exchanging views on the prospects for our cooperation and further strengthening our joint efforts.

We clearly see the real opportunities that are currently opening up and remain committed to constructive dialogue in all areas. This approach is based on a mutual understanding of the priorities of the Turkmen-American partnership.

We highly value the current level and state of bilateral political interaction. The United States was among the first to recognize our country’s independence and establish diplomatic relations with it. The United States respects and positively views Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality.

The United States is an important trade and economic partner for Turkmenistan: a solid record has been established in this area, and concrete results have been achieved – cooperation is expanding, and mutual trade turnover is rapidly increasing.

Overall, we view the current visit to the United States as a significant impetus for the consistent development of multifaceted cooperation with a long-term focus”.

We know that your country is rich in natural resources, including energy. What is Turkmenistan’s strategy in this area?

“You are absolutely right. Turkmenistan is a country with truly great hydrocarbon reserves. Moreover, in terms of proven and confirmed natural gas reserves, we rank fourth in the world.

Deeply aware of the significance of this situation in the current geo-economic environment, Turkmenistan is building its energy strategy, including in the international market, on a very responsible and thoughtful basis.

The main goal here is to ensure reasonable diversification of energy flows, their balanced combination, and the security and reliability of supplies. At the political and international legal levels, we are building energy cooperation based on the requirements of modern global development and mutual benefit. In this regard, Turkmenistan initiated a broad multilateral dialogue on energy security within the United Nations and sponsored a series of successive General Assembly resolutions. The first such resolution was approved in 2008, and since then, the issue of energy security has acquired a qualitatively new character, based on the interests of energy producing, transit, and consuming countries.

In the political sphere, we are translating the issues of diversifying energy flows and ensuring their security into practical scope. Naturally, this work is being conducted taking into account geoeconomic realities and development trends.

For example, at one time, the size of our natural gas exports was oriented toward Russia, where up to 40 billion cubic meters of gas were supplied annually. Currently, China is our main consumer, with supply volumes remaining at roughly the same level. Furthermore, by pursuing a policy of diversification, our country has the opportunity to supply within the region through a swap arrangement – to Iran and Azerbaijan, as well as to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other interested countries.

Our country is currently implementing one of the largest international projects: the Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India (TAPI) gas pipeline. Construction of the first phase of TAPI, known as Arkadag’s Bright Path (Arkadagyň ak ýoly) continues in Afghanistan. This project, which receives international support, including the United States, has enormous potential for meeting the growing energy needs of South Asian countries and also offers promising prospects for accessing developing markets in the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. The TAPI project is also of great importance in the context of political stability and economic prosperity, and has investment appeal.

I would like to emphasize that the TAPI project is open to all interested companies. We hope that our American partners will also appreciate the prospects of participating in it”.

What is the future of the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline?

“We view this project as one of the most important areas for diversifying energy flows and ensuring energy security on the continent. Turkmenistan is approaching it seriously, attentively, and constructively. At the same time, international legal issues must be resolved, particularly the delimitation of the Caspian Seabed. A Turkmen-Azerbaijani working group was recently established to address this issue. We hope that its work will yield significant practical results.

You touched on the topic of trade and economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and the United States. What is the current state of affairs in this area?

Cooperation with the United States is developing consistently, building on a mutually beneficial and equitable basis.

Over the years, hundreds of economic projects have been implemented in Turkmenistan with the participation of American companies, and are currently underway, with a total value approaching $45 billion.

Major American companies have long been successfully operating in the Turkmen market, spanning key sectors such as fuel and energy, transportation, electric power, software, agriculture, food processing, and other industries. We welcome and highly value this cooperation and will continue to encourage and support it. Among these companies, I would highlight John Deere, General Electric, Case, Boeing, Coca-Cola, Sikorsky, and Caterpillar. This list goes on.

I would like to especially highlight the important role of the Turkmen-American Business Council, established in 2008 at our initiative.

Over the years, this format of interaction has become a significant and effective tool for bilateral partnership. It is invaluable for building, expanding, and strengthening contacts between the private sectors of two countries and jointly exploring promising areas of cooperation. Today, the Business Council is a productive platform paving the way for the implementation of major projects in various segments of our country’s economy. The Business Council has earned respect among business circles, and its opinions and recommendations are taken into consideration by government agencies in both Turkmenistan and the United States.

At the same time, it is clear that mutual potential can be unfolded further. This primarily concerns the diversification of Turkmenistan’s economy, the widespread introduction of high-tech industries, and the implementation of large-scale national and international infrastructure projects.

We see enormous potential in attracting American investment and technology for the development of innovative and knowledge-intensive industries in Turkmenistan. We also note significant potential in areas such as electric power, computer and logistics services, education, and professional development”.

What other areas of Turkmen-American cooperation do you consider promising?

“Culture, science, education, sports-in general, all social and public spheres in which there is already rich and useful experience of cooperation.

Projects implemented through U.S. State Department programs play an important role here. One example is the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) program, which has been active in Turkmenistan since 2001. To date, the Fund has supported 30 projects in our country.

There is a vast interest in the English language in Turkmenistan – it is taught in all public schools across the country. Four higher education institutions provide education in English.

A specialized English-language school is planned for the newly built “smart” city of Arkadag, where instruction will be based on modern educational methods and standards. It is important to note that the educational process will be focused on providing students with the opportunity to continue their education at prestigious US universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Columbia University. This is where truly broad horizons open for the ongoing activities of the educational and scientific communities of Turkmenistan and the US.

Speaking of culture, it is worth noting our established cooperation with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I believe it is essential to expand this collaboration. Turkmenistan is a country with an ancient and extremely rich history and culture.

In turn, we have shown great interest in American cinema, literature, and music. In recent years, we have implemented various educational programs, organized visits by professors, lectures, and master classes, and facilitated archaeological expeditions to our country to conduct excavations. The US State Department organizes concerts by American music and dance groups, and organizes summer and winter screenings of American films, which have now become a tradition. We are ready to continue and expand this cooperation and to present broadly the culture of Turkmenistan in the United States.

Turkmenistan is located in a strategically important region. How does this influence your country and the priorities of its foreign policy and economy?

We are fully aware of our country’s geopolitical and geoeconomic position. It allows us to serve as a bridge connecting Europe and Asia, and through the Caspian Sea, access the Black and Mediterranean Seas, and the Middle East.

This strategic location determines Turkmenistan’s extremely balanced approach to international cooperation and, more generally, our foreign policy concept, the foundation of which is permanent neutrality.

Based on the norms of neutrality, we work to ensure peace and carry out preventive activities in the region, promoting an agenda of peace and trust in the international arena. At Turkmenistan’s initiative, the United Nations proclaimed 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust, marking a significant milestone in global politics. Last year, the main high-level event was a major international forum in Ashgabat, attended by representatives of 66 states, 30 international organizations, and 16 presidents and heads of government. Turkmenistan uses its geostrategic position and neutral status exclusively for constructive and productive purposes, namely, maintaining stability, preventing conflicts, stimulating economic and trade relations, and ensuring the successful integration of the Central Asian and Caspian regions into global economic and political processes”.

What results do you expect from the meetings here in Florida?

“We intend to use our presence here to establish direct contacts between Florida and Turkmenistan, as well as to unite strengths and opportunities that can be engaged for our shared interests. This includes reaching specific agreements in the areas of business cooperation, investment, and trade.

We also want to explore the experience of Florida in constructing sports facilities and organizing sports activities in general. This applies specifically to golf. In 2017, Turkmenistan opened its first golf club, covering over 70 hectares including its courses. During a forum held in 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan and the American company Nicklaus Companies to establish a golf club in the National Tourist Zone Avaza on the Caspian coast. We are seriously developing golf in Turkmenistan and look forward to close cooperation with the United States. This also applies to the development of our country’s tourism industry. Florida has achieved outstanding success in this area, and we very much hope to establish mutually beneficial cooperation.

Another particularly promising area is horse breeding. Turkmenistan is the birthplace of the famous Akhal-Teke horses. The history of this first human-bred kind spans over five thousand years. Currently, horse breeding is receiving particular attention in our country. We know that this industry is also widely developed and very popular in the state of Florida. We propose combining our efforts, experience, and expertise in this field.

In conclusion, I thank you for this meeting and would like to emphasize that Turkmenistan views the United States of America as a friend and reliable partner”.

Following the interview, Al Arabiya TV host Riz Khan emphasized its active and constructive nature and expressed sincere gratitude to the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan for presenting his views on pressing issues.

Noting that this year is being held under the slogan “Independent, permanently Neutral Turkmenistan –Homeland of Purposeful Heavenly Hourses”, the National Leader of the Turkmen People announced that the country is planning large-scale celebrations to mark the glorious 35th anniversary of independence and to honor its national treasure – the Turkmen horse. In this regard, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan invited Riz Khan and the Al Arabiya TV team to these significant events.

Emphasizing that he views this invitation as a sign of high respect, Riz Khan confirmed that he would be delighted to participate in the celebrations, which will take place in the homeland of the Akhal-Teke horse – Turkmenistan – and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan.

The National Leader of the Turkmen people wished the host of the world-famous Al Arabiya and its creative team great success in their professional endeavors.