


Turkmenistan’s steps toward WTO membership
Turkmenistan is taking significant steps toward WTO membership by strengthening its trade policies and fostering public-private collaboration. Through EU-supported workshops, the country is aligning its trade framework with global standards to enhance market access and economic growth.
Turkmenistan is strengthening its trade policies while engaging stakeholders in its journey toward becoming a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Under the International Trade Centre’s EU-funded project “Turkmenistan: Enhancing Trade Resilience and Integration,” two workshops held in Ashgabat, highlighted the country’s commitment to aligning its trade framework with international standards and fostering collaboration between public and private sectors.
Empowering the Private Sector: Understanding WTO Membership
On 29-30 October, 49 workshop participants from Turkmenistan’s public and private sectors, including 21 women, discussed the benefits and business implications of WTO membership. Supported by the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan and attended by EU Ambassador Beata Pęksa, the workshop focused on explaining WTO rules governing trade in goods and services, as well as intellectual property rights from the private sector perspective.
Kazakhstan’s experience, the most recent WTO member in Central Asia, illustrated the practical benefits of a membership. The participants explored how WTO accession could integrate Turkmenistan’s private sector into global supply chains, enhance market stability, and attract foreign direct investment through credibility and predictability.
A strategic focus on WTO Agreements
Earlier that same month, another workshop targeted government representatives and policymakers to focus on the WTO’s Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures Agreements. These agreements are critical for ensuring that product standards and biosecurity measures protect public health without creating unnecessary trade barriers.
The event brought together 33 participants from ministries, state agencies, the Central Bank, Customs authorities, and higher education institutions. Through case studies and discussions, participants analysed Turkmenistan’s unique challenges and opportunities in aligning national standards with WTO rules.
Borislav Dimitrov, Programme Manager at the EU Delegation to Turkmenistan, highlighted the relevance of TBT and SPS compliance for trade facilitation. The International Trade Centre’s Senior Advisor Khemraj Ramful further emphasized that understanding these agreements is essential for overcoming market access barriers that small businesses are facing globally.
Both workshops reflect Turkmenistan’s dedication to integrating WTO principles into its trade policies and national development strategies. The private sector and government stakeholders alike are gaining tools to align with WTO standards, laying the groundwork for active participation in the global trading system and fostering an environment for sustainable economic growth and international cooperation.
About the Project
ITC is implementing a four-year technical assistance project “Turkmenistan: Enhancing trade resilience and integration”, funded by the EU. The project aims at contributing to the economic development of Turkmenistan as well as enhancing EU-Turkmenistan trade relations. This will be achieved by promoting Turkmenistan’s international economic engagement and participation in regional and global trade, inter alia, its accession to the WTO and becoming a member of a multilateral trading system.