On 25 February, the second meeting the Second Steering Committee Meeting of the “EU for a green Turkmenistan: Policy Dialogue and Climate Action for 2024–2028” project took place in the Conference Hall of the Natural Gas Research Institute in Ashgabat. The EU funded project is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as part of the German Federal Foreign Office Programme “Green Central Asia, Phase II: Transboundary Dialogue on Climate, Environment, and Security in Central Asia – Bridging Borders to Enhance Regional Adaptation and Mitigation “. The project also contributes to the Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy, and Climate Change in Central Asia, which is an EU Global Gateway flagship initiative.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the EU Delegations in Astana and Ashgabat, the German Embassy in Turkmenistan, and key national project partners institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Energy, State Concern “Turkmengas,” and the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
In his welcome speech Dr. Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, stated, “The EU and Turkmenistan are committed to tackling climate change through a strong partnership. Leveraging EU initiatives like the European Green Deal and Team Europe, we are collaborating on projects to support Turkmenistan’s green transition through policy dialogue, capacity building, and pilot projects. Today’s meeting will advance these vital initiatives.”
Mr. Bernd Heinze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Turkmenistan, highlighted that the established collaboration among the EU, Germany, and Turkmenistan underscores our shared commitment to environmental sustainability and our collective capacity to implement effective solutions for enhanced climate resilience.
The meeting was aimed at reviewing the progress of project implementation in 2024, assessing ongoing pilot projects and presenting financial expenditures. Looking ahead, the committee approved the 2025 Annual Operational Plan and Communication Plan, which define the strategic actions and communication framework for the coming year. Discussions also focused on future steps, emphasizing the advancement of pilot projects and ensuring their alignment with both Turkmenistan’s green development objectives and the EU’s strategic priorities