BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. Turkmenistan can further strengthen its position as a regional transit hub by leveraging initiatives such as the Trade Facilitation in Central Asia (TFCA) project, a source from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH told Trend.
“Turkmenistan is strategically located at the crossroads of key regional corridors, with direct access to the Caspian Sea, Iran, Afghanistan, and its Central Asian neighbors. This positioning offers significant potential for the country to develop into a vital transit and logistics hub within Eurasia,” the source said.
The source emphasized that today’s connectivity is measured not just by kilometers of railways or highways, but by how efficiently goods can cross borders.
“Factors such as expedited customs clearance, digital interconnectedness of systems, and regional coordination are now critical components of a competitive transit system,” the GIZ representative added.
TFCA, implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is working with customs administrations and other trade authorities in the region to harmonize procedures, promote digital tools, and engage the private sector.
“Adoption of regional standards for systems like Single Window, e-TIR, e-Phyto would help ensure connectivity with neighboring countries,” the source noted.
The official also highlighted the role of training programs and knowledge exchange, adding that training programs can support Turkmen customs officers in implementing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and managing expedited shipments effectively.
"Turkmenistan can draw from the experiences of regional peers - such as Kazakhstan’s time-release studies, Uzbekistan’s KPI-based customs reforms, and Kyrgyzstan’s paperless transit pilots - rather than starting from scratch,” the source added.
Finally, the source pointed out the importance of collaboration with the private sector.
“TFCA supports platforms for dialogue between public institutions and private logistics actors. Turkmenistan has already shown its commitment by participating in meetings of the Regional Platform of National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs). The establishment of a national NTFC would be a logical and impactful next step,” the GIZ representative highlighted.
The source concluded that by aligning domestic reforms with regional initiatives like TFCA, Turkmenistan can enhance the connectivity of its trade and transit systems with neighboring countries, a crucial factor for maximizing the benefits of regional transport corridors.
