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ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (APP):The Turkmenistan Investment Forum (TIF 2025) officially opened in the National Tourist Zone “Awaza” to bring the Foreign Direct Investment in the country.
This large-scale event, aimed at attracting foreign investment, brought together more than 800 delegates from 45 countries.
Among the participants were high-ranking government officials, heads of leading international corporations, executives of investment banks, and prominent experts, said a press release issued by Embassy of Turkmenistan on Friday.
The Forum was inaugurated with an address by the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Finance and Economy.
The key event of the opening day was the plenary session titled “Investment Attractiveness of Turkmenistan as a Factor of Strategic Efficiency.”
The session was moderated by Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan.
Distinguished international experts delivered keynote speeches, including Ms. Beatriz Luz Maser Mallor, Executive Director of the World Bank, and Ms. Rabab Fatima, UN Under-Secretary-General.
In her remarks, Ms. Rabab Fatima highly commended Turkmenistan’s leadership in advancing the interests of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and presented new UN initiatives aimed at mobilizing investments.
She expressed deep appreciation to the Government of Turkmenistan for convening the Forum, noting that the event was a logical continuation of the Third UN Conference on LLDCs, successfully held in Awaza last month.
Ms. Fatima emphasized the vast investment opportunities in LLDCs, underlining that these countries, with their young demographics and abundant renewable resources, have the potential to become hubs of sustainable development and innovation.
To harness this potential, the Office of the UN Under-Secretary General has launched several initiatives: the establishment of an Infrastructure Investment Financing Mechanism, the launch of a Global Business Network, and the development of a Digital Investment Guide.
It was also highlighted that, together with partners, the UN has prepared a comprehensive roadmap comprising 319 projects, programmes, and activities for the implementation of the Awaza Programme of Action for the Decade 2024–2034. In conclusion, Ms. Fatima stressed that partnerships formed at such forums as TIF 2025 are crucial to transforming LLDCs into dynamic and self-sufficient economies.
She expressed hope for close cooperation, affirming that solidarity and determination will help unlock the full potential of these countries.
Professor S. Frederick Starr, in his address at the Forum, urged investors to look beyond traditional oil and gas projects.
He highlighted two key sectors: transport and agriculture. Referring to the long-standing TAPI pipeline project, he emphasized the importance of bringing it into reality and drew attention to the highly developed agricultural regions in the north of the country, which hold vast opportunities for expansion.
Over the course of two days, participants of the Forum will be presented with ready-to-implement projects across key sectors of the Turkmen economy, including energy, logistics, construction, finance, and innovation. Special focus will be given to public–private partnerships, “green” and digital transformation, as well as climate-resilient agriculture.
The high profile of the event is underscored by broad international support: more than 50 official partners and organizations are sponsoring and supporting the Forum. Among them are the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations, the EBRD, as well as major corporations such as Daewoo E&C and John Deere.
