An Italian trade mission to Turkmenistan began on 20 May 2013. The initiative was organised by our Embassy in Moscow with support from the Italian Trade Promotion Agency (ICE) and Confindustria. The delegation, led by Ambassador Antonio Zanardi Landi, met the Deputy Premier and advisers to the President on the gas and oil industry, Yagshygeldi Kakayev; the Defence Minister, Begench Gundogdiev; and the Presidents of the Industrialists’ Union, Turkmenistan Chamber of Commerce and the association of agricultural machinery companies. Their discussions included a presentation on the newly established Italy-Turkmenistan Chamber of Commerce, the interface for companies interested in the Turkmen market.
Collaboration to develop the private sector and SMEs
Companies from Italy’s energy, engineering, agri-food, infrastructure, transport and defence sectors took part in the mission. The delegates examined possible forms of collaboration within the framework of the principal development plans envisaged by the Turkmen Government and expressed a particular interest in developing the private sector and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Ambassador Zanardi Landi also met the Deputy Foreign Minister, Vepa Hajiev. The two discussed possible initiatives to intensify political contacts and develop the bilateral relationship in all spheres, in line with both countries’ potential and expectations.
