BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 15. Turkmenistan and European Union discussed the implementation of Connectivity Agenda Platform to boost Trans-Caspian corridor.
This is reflected in the statement of Turkmen Embassy in Belgium.
The discussions were held during the joint meeting of Central Asian ambassadors and senior European Union officials in Brussels.
During the consultations at the European External Action Service (EEAS), the participants welcomed the successful launch of the platform on June 23, 2026, highlighting its critical role in enhancing regional connectivity between Central Asia and Europe. The Ambassador of Turkmenistan Sapar Palvanov emphasized that this platform serves as an exceptionally effective mechanism for promoting regional transport cooperation. He stressed the necessity of utilizing the platform to strengthen coordination and enhance the resilience of transit corridors, noting that Central Asia-EU relations have transitioned into a highly practical, results-oriented phase that must deliver tangible infrastructural outcomes.
"The meeting also explored opportunities to expand cooperation with European financial institutions, implement new infrastructure projects, deepen collaboration in the field of critical raw materials, promote digital transformation, strengthen energy cooperation, and further develop partnerships in education, counter-terrorism and other areas of shared interest," the statement of the embassy says.
Within the framework of the platform, the discussions focused on the immediate digitalization of transport procedures, customs modernization, and the systematic removal of non-physical barriers to cross-border commerce. To support these logistics initiatives, the European side reaffirmed its commitment to mobilizing investment under the Global Gateway agenda in partnership with the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. These financing structures are set to be further aligned during the upcoming Global Gateway Forum in Brussels on June 7–8, 2027.
The platform's objectives also align with broader efforts to strengthen the bilateral legal framework between the EU and Turkmenistan. European officials expressed readiness to work on a joint roadmap to deepen political dialogue and economic cooperation with Ashgabat. Additionally, the diplomatic delegations coordinated preparations for the upcoming Ministerial Meeting on Connectivity and Security scheduled for November 16, 2026, as well as the Second EU-Central Asia Summit in 2027, both of which will serve to cement these transport and security initiatives.
