ADB's Work in Turkmenistan

ADB began working with Turkmenistan in 2000 and has since been helping to diversify exports and increase regional connectivity to capitalize on the country’s vast energy resources and strategic location.

Endorsed by the Government of Turkmenistan in January 2020, ADB’s country operations business plan, 2020–2022 outlines a firm lending program worth $150 million, alongside $690 million in standby projects. These investments are intended to contribute to increased power and gas exports, better roads and transport infrastructure, and improved access to finance for export-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises.

Since 2010, Turkmenistan has also benefited from regional technical assistance projects under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program.

Since 2000, ADB has committed two loans ($625 million) and six technical assistance projects ($3.325 million grant) for Turkmenistan.

Ashgabat is the capital and largest city of Turkmenistan. At night, the city is illuminated in various colors.

ADB provided a technical assistance grant of $1.3 million for the Regional Power Interconnection Project. The assistance facilitated dialogue between Turkmenistan’s energy authorities and their counterparts in Afghanistan, which culminated in the 2015 signing of a long-term power purchase and sales agreement, with a fivefold increase in electricity exports from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan envisaged by 2027.

In 2018, ADB signed a $500 million loan for the National Power Grid Strengthening Project to address Turkmenistan’s aging transmission infrastructure and increase interconnection throughout the country. The project, slated for completion by 2023, will indirectly boost Turkmenistan’s capacity to trade electricity with Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, and increase the volume of current electricity exports to Afghanistan.

ADB worked closely with the government on the TurkmenistanAfghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Natural Gas Pipeline Project. ADB’s role as the secretariat (from 2002) and the transaction advisor (from 2013 to 2016) contributed to project preparation and due diligence. Following the incorporation of TAPI Pipeline Company Limited, the project steering committee in 2015 selected the stateowned concern Turkmengaz to lead the pipeline consortium. This consortium will finance, build, own, and operate the 1,800-kilometer pipeline that is intended to become a bridge to stability and prosperity in Central and South Asia.

ADB also continues to finance various knowledge services and products for Turkmenistan, covering areas ranging from risk management in banking and microfinance to sanitary and phytosanitary measures for food safety.

The ADB North-South Railway Project seeks to create an efficient, safe, and reliable railway transport network in Turkmenistan. It will also boost connectivity with neighboring countries.

Nonsovereign Operations

As a catalyst for private investments, ADB provides financial assistance to nonsovereign projects and financial intermediaries. Total commitments from ADB’s own funds (in equity and direct loans) in 2019 amounted to $3.00 billion for 38 transactions in economic and social infrastructure, the finance sector, and agribusiness. ADB also actively mobilizes cofinancing from commercial and concessional sources. In 2019, ADB mobilized $3.28 billion of long-term cofinancing and $3.69 billion of cofinancing in trade finance, microfinance, and supply chain finance programs. Total outstanding balances and commitments of nonsovereign transactions funded by ADB’s own resources stood at $13.78 billion as of 31 December 2019.

Financing Partnerships

Financing partnerships enable ADB’s development partners, governments or their agencies, multilateral financing institutions, and commercial organizations to participate in financing ADB projects. The additional funds are provided in the form of loans and grants, technical assistance, and other nonsovereign cofinancing such as B loans, risk transfer arrangements, parallel loans and equity, guarantee cofinancing, and cofinancing for transactions under ADB’s Trade Finance Program and Supply Chain Finance Program.

ADB began cofinancing operations in Turkmenistan in 2018. Sovereign cofinancing commitments for Turkmenistan have amounted to $1.50 million for one technical assistance project.

Textile factory 'Turkmenbashi Tekstil Kompleksi' employs more than 2,500 women, 95% of its workforce.

Operational Challenges

Turkmenistan’s National Program of Socio-Economic Development for 2011–2030 accentuates the need to diversify the country’s economy through well-designed investments and effective policy reforms. ADB stands ready to help the government secure the necessary funding to support investment projects with long-term socioeconomic benefits.

In addition to financing, ADB’s knowledge and experience in supporting macroeconomic reforms in other countries will help Turkmenistan in its efforts to implement reform initiatives.

To maximize the benefits of external financing, ADB can help the government improve public financial management. Such assistance may include work to clearly articulate investment criteria and priorities for improving people’s welfare; guidance to implement feasibility studies assessing the technical, financial, and economic viability of government spending; and advice to refine the government’s own procurement rules and guidelines. ADB can also help the government improve the country’s investment climate, which is necessary to attract more foreign direct investment and mobilize Turkmenistan’s own private sector investments.

Future Directions

ADB’s country partnership strategy, 2017–2021 for Turkmenistan aims to help the country reposition itself as a regional trade and transit hub and diversify its overseas markets.

To achieve these bold development objectives, the country operations business plan, 2020–2022 keeps its focus on the major infrastructure sectors of transport and energy, while also funding support for small and medium-sized enterprises and the systemic diagnosis of improvements to the health sector. The plan embraces key priorities and outcomes stemming from ADB’s Strategy 2030, such as addressing poverty and reducing inequalities; tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability; strengthening governance and institutional capacity; and fostering regional cooperation and integration.