On February 17, 2023, a meeting of the Government Commission to study issues related to Turkmenistan's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) chaired by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan V. Hajiyev was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The meeting was attended by representatives of relevant ministries and departments of the country.
During the meeting, the participants reviewed in detail the results of the work of the Government Commission in 2022 and outlined specific steps for 2023.
In his speech, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan V. Hajiyev emphasized the active dynamics of Turkmenistan's partnership with the WTO. It was noted that in July 2020, Turkmenistan acquired the status of an observer in the WTO, and in February 2022, during the regular meeting of the WTO General Council in Geneva, our country applied for membership as a full member of the WTO, as a result of which it was decided to grant Turkmenistan the status of an acceding country ("active observer") to the WTO. Obtaining this status contributes to strengthening the position of Turkmenistan in foreign trade and increasing its international authority as a reliable and responsible partner.
It was emphasized that it is planned to implement a large number of tasks to complete the preparatory measures for Turkmenistan's accession to the WTO. The participants discussed specific steps to develop a Memorandum on the foreign trade regime of Turkmenistan, the surrender of which is one of the conditions for joining the WTO. It was also proposed to consider the issue of creating an agency or a structural unit in one of the country's ministries, which would centrally coordinate all issues related to our country's accession to the WTO.
The parties also discussed a number of issues on further cooperation, exchanged recommendations and views on expanding cooperation with the WTO Secretariat.
