The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a key meeting between Deputy Minister Ahmet Gurbanov and a World Trade Organization (WTO) delegation led by Maika Oshikawa, Director of the WTO’s Accessions Division on September 16, 2024.

The discussions focused on advancing Turkmenistan’s bid to join the WTO, emphasizing current efforts and preparatory measures. The meeting covered Turkmenistan’s progress in drafting a Memorandum on the Foreign Trade Regime and the ongoing work of the Interdepartmental Government Commission dedicated to WTO accession.

Participants reviewed the country’s strategic steps and exchanged views on future cooperation between Turkmenistan and the WTO, highlighting key priorities for the accession process.

Earlier, Uzbekistan advanced its WTO membership process by concluding bilateral market access negotiations with 18 countries, including recent agreements with Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Argentina. 

Uzbekistan’s path to WTO membership, which began in 1994, has been one of the longest in the organization’s history. After a prolonged hiatus, the process was reinvigorated in recent years, with the country aiming for full membership by 2026.