Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan Strengthen Strategic Partnership Amid Growing Trade and Cultural Ties

On May 27, 2024, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met in Astana to discuss advancing their strategic partnership. The meeting underscored the steady growth of the Kazakh-Turkmen relationship, focusing on economic cooperation, trade, energy, transport, and logistics sectors.

President Tokayev emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, "Being a state that shares a similar spirit and history with us, Turkmenistan is Kazakhstan's reliable strategic partner." Meredov echoed this sentiment, affirming Turkmenistan's support for Kazakhstan's initiatives at both global and regional levels.

Why this matters: The strengthening of the strategic partnership between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan has significant implications for regional trade, energy, and cultural cooperation. This partnership could lead to increased economic growth, improved transportation links, and enhanced cultural exchange between the two nations.

The volume of mutual trade between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan has seen a significant increase, nearly quadrupling over the past five years to reach $563 million in 2023. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, trade volume exceeded $100 million, setting a positive trend towards the goal of $1 billion in mutual trade in the near future.

Transportation between the two countries has also improved, with the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway witnessing a 20% increase in transportation volume last year, reaching 1.3 million tons. Both sides expressed their readiness to promote cooperation in the energy sector, including joint projects.

Cultural and humanitarian cooperation was another key focus of the meeting. This year, the Days of Culture of Turkmenistan will be held in Astana, and the Days of Culture of Kazakhstan will be held in Ashgabat. These events will feature artistic group performances and the unveiling of monuments honoring notable poets from both nations, Abai Kunanbayev and Magtymguly Fragi.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of synchronizing approaches to regional and international affairs, reaffirming their commitment to close collaboration within multilateral frameworks. The upcoming celebration of the 300th birth anniversary of Turkmen poet Magtymguly Fragi was noted as a significant milestone in cultural cooperation.

This meeting highlights the commitment of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to strengthening their strategic partnership and advancing cooperation across various sectors, promising a future of increased trade, enhanced transport links, and enriched cultural ties.

Key Takeaways

• Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan aim to enhance strategic partnership.
• Mutual trade volume reaches $563 million in 2023, targeting $1 billion.
• Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway sees 20% increase in transportation volume.
• Cultural cooperation includes Days of Culture events and monument unveilings.
• Partnership to boost regional trade, energy, and cultural cooperation.