CAREC Institute Deepens Collaboration with Turkmenistan to Advance Regional Cooperation

On 14 April, Mr. Charymuhammet Shallyyev, Director of the CAREC Institute (CI), met with Mr. Mammetguly Astanagulov, Turkmenistan’s Minister of Finance and Economy and CAREC National Focal Point, in Ashgabat to strengthen bilateral collaboration.

Mr. Shallyyev thanked Turkmenistan for its long partnership with the Institute. He briefed CI’s main goals: revitalizing the organization, engaging more with national experts, and improving the integration of Turkmenistan’s data into regional research. He also shared updates on reforms to promote merit-based leadership recruitment and emphasized the Institute’s ongoing commitment to inclusive regional cooperation.

Mr. Astanagulov congratulated Mr. Shallyyev on his appointment and reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s continued support for CI’s mission. He stressed the importance of upholding the Institute’s founding intergovernmental agreement as a foundation for future collaboration.

The discussion covered a range of topics for expanding cooperation. These included increasing the participation of Turkmen experts in CI projects and events, strengthening partnerships with national academic institutions, and raising awareness of CI’s work among government officials, academia, and the private sector. Both parties also explored co-financing opportunities and agreed to organize a CAREC Institute “roadshow” in Ashgabat to enhance visibility. A dedicated session will also be considered during Turkmenistan’s September 2025 Investment Forum.

At the meeting, CI and Turkmenistan committed to further dialogue to formalize academic partnerships, improve data coordination, disseminate knowledge products and opportunities, and develop jointly funded initiatives.

During his visit, Mr. Shallyyev also met with Mr. Muhammetguly Muhammedov, Manager of the “Green Economy” Educational Centre at the Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management. They discussed strengthening collaboration in green finance and sustainability education, including a potential trilingual glossary project to address regional knowledge gaps in green finance and climate resilience.

Concluding his visit, Mr. Shallyyev stated, “This is an important step toward deepening collaboration with Turkmenistan and leveraging its expertise to drive sustainable progress across the region.”