BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 6. In recent years,
Turkmen-Turkish relations have been on the upswing, moving beyond
the usual back-and-forth of bilateral ties. Since the establishment
of diplomatic relations in 1992, the two sides have consistently
developed interaction in trade, energy, construction, transport,
and the humanitarian sphere, drawing on both shared cultural and
historical roots and aligned strategic interests in Eurasia.
Türkiye is among Turkmenistan’s key trade and economic partners,
and the institutional framework for cooperation is reinforced
through joint work within the Organization of Turkic States and its
Economic Council, as well as multilateral platforms such as ECO and
the UN.
The 12th Turkish Export Products Exhibition, scheduled to take
place in Ashgabat from February 10 through 12, 2026, represents the
next step in economic dialogue. The event is organized with the
participation of the Turkmen Chamber of Commerce and Industry and
the Ministry of Trade of Türkiye and is seen as a platform to
expand direct contacts between business circles of the two
countries. As of January 2026, around 100 Turkish companies had
registered for the exhibition, significantly exceeding the
participation of more than 70 companies at the 11th exhibition in
2024.
The exhibition casts a wide net across various sectors,
including industrial equipment, construction materials,
pharmaceuticals, textiles, food products, household appliances, and
chemical products. All in all, this showcases Türkiye’s goal to not
just boost exports but also to cement its foothold in crucial areas
of Turkmenistan’s economy through enduring commercial and
investment relationships.
The exhibition coincides with a visit by Türkiye’s Minister of
Trade Omer Bolat, whose program includes participation in the
official opening and meetings with the leadership of the Turkmen
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and relevant economic
agencies.
At the end of January 2026, Türkiye’s Ambassador to
Turkmenistan, Ahmet Demirok, announced his country’s intention to
simplify customs and logistics procedures trilaterally with
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. During the minister’s visit, practical
mechanisms for implementing this initiative are expected to be
discussed, along with measures to increase bilateral trade
turnover.
The minister’s visit is just another cog in the wheel of ongoing
intergovernmental connections, the most significant of which was
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Ashgabat in December 2025
to participate in the International Forum on the 30th anniversary
of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality. Following that visit,
President Erdoğan announced Türkiye’s plans to raise bilateral
trade turnover from the current $2 billion to $5 billion.
Since Turkmenistan’s independence, Turkish companies have
implemented more than 1,000 projects in the country with a total
value exceeding $54 billion. Currently, 19 projects worth around
$10 billion are ongoing. Türkiye’s main investment areas remain
construction, energy, textiles, and infrastructure. According to
the Eurasian Development Bank, Turkmenistan holds the largest share
of Türkiye’s total investments in Central Asia. Among two major
projects alone, Ankara invested $1.1 billion, including the
construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power
transmission line.
A key practical dimension of Turkmen-Turkish economic
cooperation is logistics, in which Azerbaijan plays a central role.
The Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Türkiye trilateral link forms one of
the main routes of the Trans-Caspian International Transport
Corridor, also known as the Middle Corridor.
Within this framework, Turkmenistan provides access to the
Caspian Sea via the Turkmenbashi port, from where cargo flows
proceed to the port of Baku and then by rail along the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars line to Türkiye and further to European markets.
This route allows diversification of transport chains and reduces
dependence on alternative directions, enhancing trade resilience
amid regional and global risks.
Logistics development is complemented by institutional
mechanisms within the Organization of Turkic States, of which
Turkmenistan has been a full member since 2022. Member countries
promote initiatives to simplify trade procedures, digitize transit,
and create unified logistics solutions, including the e-Permit
electronic system and coordination of transport operators.
Additional legal support is provided by bilateral agreements
between Türkiye and Turkmenistan in economic cooperation, as well
as memorandums on the development of the Middle Corridor signed
between 2022 and 2025.
In the broader regional context, Turkmen-Turkish cooperation
aligns with Ankara’s strategy to expand its economic presence in
Central Asia. In recent years, key tools for strengthening
Türkiye’s presence have included investment projects, participation
of Turkish companies in infrastructure construction, and
development of transport corridors connecting Central Asia to
European markets. In this scenario, Turkmenistan stands out as the
vital connection in regional logistics and serves as one of the
biggest playgrounds for Turkish business in the area.
The geopolitical aspect of this dynamic relates to Türkiye’s
efforts to diversify transport options and reduce the risk of
bottlenecks along the Middle Corridor. Expanding access to Central
Asian infrastructure, including Turkmenistan, allows Ankara to
flexibly manage trade and transit routes.
In this context, at the end of January 2026, a delegation from
the Turkmenbashi International Sea Port held talks with Azerbaijani
counterparts on cooperation in developing the Caspian-Black Sea
transport corridor, with the ports of Baku and Turkmenbashi serving
as key nodes in this logistics chain.
For Turkmenistan, deepening cooperation with Türkiye opens
additional opportunities to diversify foreign economic ties and
enhance strategic autonomy by balancing foreign policy and economic
vectors.
Thus, the upcoming Turkish Export Products Exhibition in
Ashgabat and the visit of the Minister of Trade are not isolated
events but part of a broader and consistent effort to deepen
Turkmen-Turkish engagement. Against the backdrop of stable trade
performance, a significant investment portfolio, and active
regional transport initiatives, these steps reflect the parties’
desire to translate political signals and institutional agreements
into practical economic cooperation.
