Uzbekistan — Turkmenistan: Territorial Proximity, Mutual Trust, and Results of Cooperation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — At present, the process of mutual integration and sustainable development among the countries of Central Asia has reached a new level.

Recent developments in Uzbekistan contribute to the growth of the entire region and further strengthen mutual trust between states. This, in turn, positively affects the lives of the people living in the region.

A special place is occupied by the cooperation between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, which has entered a new stage.

Today, Turkmenistan is an important partner for Uzbekistan in trade and economic relations, transport and logistics infrastructure, energy, effective water resource management, and many other areas.

From 2017 to 2024, trade and economic ties between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan consistently expanded. As a result, Turkmenistan’s exports to Uzbekistan grew from US$105.4 million in 2017 to US$1.48 billion in 2024, increasing nearly fourteenfold.

Uzbekistan’s imports from Turkmenistan reached US$133.9 million compared to US$53.2 million in 2017. These figures demonstrate a steady growth in trade volume between the two countries.

In Turkmenistan’s exports to Uzbekistan, mineral fuels and petroleum products play a leading role. In 2024, these commodities accounted for 95.8 percent of total exports, representing nearly the entire volume.

Uzbekistan’s exports to Turkmenistan are relatively diversified, with industrial and chemical products occupying a primary position. According to data for 2024, fertilizers accounted for 17.7 percent of Uzbekistan’s exports and became one of the key items in Turkmenistan’s imports.

To maintain high performance and further increase trade volumes, both countries need to effectively utilize existing opportunities, including the intensification of experimental shipments along international transport corridors via seaports, which is particularly important for expanding transport and logistics connections. Sustaining positive growth in mutual trade and doubling its volume in the coming years will require efficient use of the transport and logistics potential.

To achieve these goals, a free trade regime between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan was introduced on February 25 of this year.

Under this regime, customs duties on many goods produced in both countries were eliminated, restrictions on mutual trade were lifted, and trade procedures were simplified.

To further develop bilateral trade and economic ties, on November 17 of this year, following a meeting between the leaders of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in Tashkent, work began on a cross-border trade zone between the Shovot District of Uzbekistan’s Khorezm Region and Turkmenistan’s Toshhovuz Province.

In the future, one of the key areas capable of significantly boosting relations between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be transport and logistics cooperation. For this reason, high-level negotiations focus on creating favorable conditions for the effective use of transit potential, including providing mutual benefits and discounts for cargo transportation.

Efficient use of transit potential will further facilitate the active development of the “East–West” and “North–South” transport corridors, including the capabilities of Turkmenbashi Port, and will help achieve mutually beneficial goals.

Thus, strengthening cooperation between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, developing new directions of regional interaction, and designing and implementing promising projects serve the interests of the peoples of both countries.

Nodirbek Rasulov
Project Director, Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor