Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia and is primarily covered by desert. Not yet over-run by tourists, Turkmenistan is renowned for its hospitality and rich oriental country. Visit sleepy desert cities along the Great Silk Road, experience vibrant bazaars filled with delicious local food and intricate handicrafts or relax on the wonderful beaches along the Caspian Sea. Turkmenistan has it all. The territory of Turkmenistan is 491.2 thousand square kilometers. Turkmenistan has borders with Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and has a coast line of Caspian Sea. The population of Turkmenistan is about 6.2 million people.
The capital of Turkmenistan is Ashgabat. Ashgabat, that means “the city of love”, rises between the Garagum desert and the foothills of the Kopetdag mountains. The combination of oriental cultural traditions and modern urban design makes the city one of the most exciting in Central Asia. In 2013 Ashgabat entered the Guinness World Records for having the highest concentration of white marble buildings than any other city in the world. Earlier, the Guinness Book of World Records registered a huge star of Oguz Khan on the TV and Radio broadcasting center “Turkmenistan”, Ferris wheel of the Ashgabat cultural and entertainment center “Alem” and fountain ensemble “Oguz Khan”. Ashgabat first appeared on the pages of the Book of Records in 2008 with its world highest flagpole.
ECONOMY OPPORTUNITIES
The economic growth of Turkmenistan is carried out on the basis of the national and state programs for short and long term periods. Today, Turkmenistan has the diversified, multifunctional economy presented by enterprises of power industry, oil and gas production, oil-processing, chemical and petrochemical field, mechanical engineering and metal-processing, objects for producing building materials, light and food industry. Traditional sectors have considerably grown over the recent years: oil and gas complex, power engineering, agriculture, construction, transport and communications. At the same time, a lot of work is being carried out for the formation of new sectors of the economy: chemical, building materials industries, telecommunications and other high-tech spheres.
The investment activity of the economy has led to the rapid growth of the construction industry of Turkmenistan. In addition to large-scale public construction projects, industrial, recreational, cultural facilities, such as the creation of the Avaza National Tourist Zone, the large-scale construction of dwelling houses are being carried out within the National program for the reform of social and living conditions in villages, towns, cities, districts and etrap centers for the period up to 2020. Its main task is to create a high standard of living of the rural population, similar to urban, ensure balanced social development in all settlements of the country. Residential mortgage with the most favorable terms is extensively developed.
As it was already have been mentioned the priority strategic direction of Turkmenistan is a diversification of export of fuel and energy means to the international markets. Today a concrete example accelerating this is a construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) International gas pipeline.
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India cooperation
On December 13, 2015 the start was given to the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and the third-phase industrial facilities of the “Galkynysh” field commercial development, which would initially provide a resource base for the new gas trunk line. The practical implementation phase of the TAPI gas pipeline project started in December 2010 in the course of the “Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India” Summit in Ashgabat, which resulted in signing the related Intergovernmental Agreement.
The economic feasibility of the project, which is designed to meet high demand for the natural gas in the South Asian countries, highlights the generally-admitted fact (recognized also by the authoritative international experts) the availability in the country of enormous “blue fuel” resources of global significance. This enables Turkmenistan to guarantee long-term gas deliveries in any direction, including the within-said route.
The “Galkynysh” gas field will become a resource base for the new pipeline. In the frames of the field’s first-phase development accomplished by the “Turkmengas” State Concern, a complex of plants (with annual capacity of 30 BCM of tank gas) was put into operation in 2013 in association with foreign partners. In 2014, construction started at the field of the second-phase facilities (with a projected capacity of 30 BCM of tank gas).
The new pipeline project is implemented in accordance with the intergovernmental agreements made between the four participating countries. The TAPI pipeline will be approximately 1,814 kilometers long. The 212-km section of the pipeline will run through the territory of our country; later it will reach the cities of Afghanistan ?Herat and Kandahar, via Pakistan ? the cities of Quetta and Multan, and then it will reach the settlement of Fazilka in India. The projected annual capacity of the pipeline is 33 BCM. Commissioning of the project, including the auxiliary surface infrastructure, is scheduled for December 2019. The project implementation will encourage further socio-economic development of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. It is worth noting that Turkmenistan’s neutrality provides favourable conditions for advancing good neighborly relations, maintaining peace and security, which serve as a vital factor of active cooperation advancement between the region’s countries.
V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The preparatory work for the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which will take place in Ashgabat in OCTOBER 2017, aroused the keen interest for sports in the Turkmen society. Undoubtedly, the Asian Games that will be organized and held at the high level will contribute to strengthening the authority of Turkmenistan in the world.
The Asian Games is a grandiose sports event, which we are preparing for nowadays. The legacy of the Asian Games should become a core of this life, around which the new strategy for the development of the national sports will be built up. The Olympic Village, which is currently under construction in the Turkmen capital, is not just a complex of buildings designed for sports competitions but also a part of the sports image of Turkmenistan that adds new dynamic features to the expressive look of Ashgabat embodying energy, the will to win and healthful mind.
2017 Asian Games in Ashgabat will be the largest tournament that will bring together delegations from 45 National Olympic Committees in Asia as well as 17 National Olympic Committees in Oceania according to the of Memorandum between Organizing Committee of V Asian Indoor Games and Martial Arts, Olympic Council of Asia and National Olympic Committees of Oceania signed in the Turkmen capital with the participation of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Over 5,000 athletes from 62 countries will perform in V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 21 sports events. Thousands of people who will visit Turkmenistan, including journalists and sports fans will discover new Turkmenistan - the country of progress, sports and health.
One of the main tasks in this regard is to maximally use the capacities of the 2017-Ashgabat project for sustainable development and prosperity of the Turkmen capital and our country. The Asian Games in Ashgabat will also create thousands new jobs and will contribute to increasing domestic and international trade, business and tourist activity. Ashgabat games will not only glorify Turkmenistan and re-open the country to international television and Internet space, but also will offer impetus to the development of tourism, Turkmenistan's integration into the international sports movement.
Moreover, Turkmenistan will get an opportunity to widely show the beauty and diversity, its hospitality and openness to the world, the readiness for cooperation and interaction in all areas that is reflected in the motto of the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games ? “Health. Inspiration. Friendship”.
Transport initiatives of Turkmenistan
At the end of this year, 26-27 November, Turkmenistan will host the 1st UN Global Conference on Sustainable Transport, initiated by the UN Secretary General, dedicated to the role of transport and transit corridors in ensuring international cooperation, stability and sustainable development.
The Global Sustainable Transport Conference will bring together key stakeholders from Governments, UN system and other international organizations, the private sector, and civil society to engage in a dialogue that emphasizes the integrated and cross-cutting nature of sustainable transport and its multiple roles in supporting the achievement of the SDGs. All modes of transport ? road, rail, aviation, ferry and maritime - will be addressed.