On 2 August 2024, as part of the visit of the delegation of Turkmenistan to the Republic of the Philippines, political consultations between the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and the Republic of the Philippines took place in Manila.
The Turkmen delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmet Gurbanov, while the Philippine side was headed by Maria Teresa Lazaro, Deputy Secretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
During the consultations, the sides exchanged views on all key areas of the bilateral agenda, including issues of political and diplomatic cooperation, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian partnership and filling them with practical content.
The sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues.
The diplomats noted the importance of maintaining regular contacts at a high level, which gives a significant impetus to bilateral cooperation.
The important role of parliamentary diplomacy in the development of Turkmen-Philippine relations was emphasized. In this context, common views were expressed on the further intensification of the inter-parliamentary dialogue.
During the political consultations, Turkmenistan and the Philippines expressed their commitment to strengthening trade and economic ties. The two sides identified potential areas for cooperation in energy, transport and logistics, and agriculture. Analyzing the current state of trade cooperation, the parties exchanged views on the import and export potential of the two countries. The negotiations also considered in detail the state of the contractual and legal framework of cooperation and proposals for its expansion.
The importance of cultural and humanitarian exchange as a foundation for stronger people-to-people ties was emphasized.
Later that day, Deputy Minister Gurbanov met with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo. They reaffirmed their countries’ shared goal of deepening cooperation across various sectors, particularly trade, economy, and humanitarian affairs.
To formalize their commitment to regular dialogue, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines on political consultations.
During their visit to the Philippines, the Turkmen delegation met with Judah Agouliar, Vice President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Both sides affirmed the strong foundation of mutual respect, trust, and equality underpinning Turkmen-Philippine relations. Based on this solid framework, the delegates expressed optimism about further deepening bilateral ties.
On August 3, 2024, on the second day of the visit, the delegation of Turkmenistan visited the Clark Freeport Free Economic Zone. This meeting provided an opportunity for sharing experiences and discussing prospects for joint projects.
The meeting at of Base Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) was devoted to exploring opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. The Philippine side presented a detailed presentation on the Clark Freeport Free Economic Zone and an ambitious project to create a new environmentally friendly city.
The Turkmen delegation highly appreciated the ongoing project and expressed interest in sharing experience in the field of creation and management of free economic zones.
In addition, during the meeting, the Turkmen side held a presentation dedicated to the smart city of Arkadag. The representatives of Philippines were invited to visit Turkmenistan to learn more about the modern city of Arkadag and establish deeper contacts.
Such an exchange of experience and joint initiatives indicate the desire of both sides to strengthen bilateral relations and implement joint projects in the field of economic development and infrastructure.
