International Forum to Attract Foreign Investments in Turkmenistan’s Economy

Kuala Lumpur will host the next Turkmen Economy Investment Forum (TEIF 2025) on 23-24 April 2025. The Forum's principal organizers are the State Concerns “Turkmengas”, “Turkmennebit”, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan in partnership with Turkmen Energy Forum.

This event, hosted in the world’s leading capital, aims to expand opportunities for attracting foreign direct investment in Turkmenistan's energy, transport and communication, construction, and financial sectors and strengthen the dialogue on further sustainable development of the energy sector. TEIF 2025 will bring together leading national and international energy companies and experts who shape the oil and gas industry's future in Turkmenistan and the wider region.

As the world embarks on a massive energy transition, so is Turkmenistan changing. The country has so much to offer, from hosting one of the world’s largest onshore gas fields - Galkynysh - to world-class natural conditions for developing solar and wind power. The opportunities our resources and conditions offer will be the prime focus of the forthcoming TEIF 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, where the leading national energy companies will actively seek foreign direct investment in abundant resources and address the upstream, midstream, and downstream opportunities in Turkmenistan’s rapidly developing energy sector.

The Esteemed President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, speaking at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, announced Turkmenistan’s accession to the Global Methane Pledge and further continuation of ongoing cooperation with international organizations and partner states within the framework of existing projects and programs aimed at the practical implementation of the conditions arising from the Global Methane Pledge. A separate session at the TEIF 2025 in Kuala Lumpur will reinforce the discussion of major issues related to reducing methane emissions.

Turkmenistan is a major player in the Asian oil & gas market. The country’s hydrocarbon resources are estimated at over 71 billion tons of oil equivalent, that is over 20 billion tons of oil and over 50 trillion cubic meters of natural gas. Given these figures, as of today, Turkmenistan holds the world’s fourth-largest proven natural gas reserves after Russia, Iran, and Qatar. Currently, Turkmenistan’s largest customer is the People’s Republic of China. Turkmenistan supplies over 30 BCMA of natural gas to China through the three lines (A, B, and C) of the Central Asia Gas Pipeline system, and upon completion of the fourth D line, the annual Turkmen natural gas supply will reach a contractual 65 billion BCMA. Additionally, Turkmenistan possesses the technical capabilities to export natural gas to Iran, Iraq, and Azerbaijan through SWAP scheme, as well as the potential for supplying it to the Russian Federation.

Turkmenistan and its partners continue to support the implementation of the mega-project for the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline. The 1,853-km pipeline will deliver up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the Galkynysh field to three points of extraction in Afghanistan, three points of extraction in Pakistan, and a final point of extraction on the Pakistan-India border for delivery to the Indian market. Last year, the construction of the section from Serhetabat to Herat, Afghanistan, and the construction of the Shatlyk-1 gas compressor station began, bringing the project closer to its final stage. This large-scale infrastructure project, called the “White Road of Arkadag”, strengthens energy cooperation in the region and provides Turkmenistan with a strategic role in international gas supplies.

Turkmenistan is actively developing its renewable energy sector. In 2023, the Abu Dhabi Development Fund financed the construction of a 10-megawatt hybrid solar wind power plant near Altyn Asyr Lake.

Leading international oil companies, including CNPC, Dragon Oil, Petronas, Mitro, and ENI, produce oil and gas from contractual offshore and onshore territories in the Balkan and Lebap regions. This year’s conference will focus on attracting investment to offshore Blocks No. 21 and 23, West Cheleken, optimizing production from mature fields, and next-phase developments of the supergiant Galkynysh field, which holds the world’s second-largest gas reserves.

In parallel with the export of natural gas by pipeline, Turkmenistan is currently focusing on the deep processing of hydrocarbons, which may dominate the country’s economy in the long term. In recent years, several gas chemical facilities have been commissioned, and several more are planned to be built to manufacture high-added-value goods with high demand in global markets. Other strategic projects implemented in phases by the oil and gas complex of Turkmenistan include the reconstruction of the Turkmenbashy and Seyidi oil refineries.

The  TEIF 2025 agenda will include sessions on: “2025 – International Year of Peace and Trust: Turkmenistan's Role in the Future of Global Energy and Sustainable Growth”; “New Investment Opportunities in Turkmenistan's Energy Sector: Natural Gas and Monetisation”; “Accelerating the Process of Attracting Investments into Infrastructure Projects in Turkmenistan with a Focus on Construction, Transport, Information Technology and Telecommunications”; “Investment Opportunities in the Turkmenistan's Energy Sector: Oil and Petrochemicals”; “Development of Manufacturing and Increase in Exports of Industrial, Agricultural, Textile and Food Products”; “Strategies Based on the United Nations SDGS: Reduction of Methane and CO2 Emissions and Promoting Innovation in Clean Energy”.

A key aspect of creating a solid legal framework in Turkmenistan is the adoption of the law of Turkmenistan “On Hydrocarbon Resources”, “On Currency Regulation”, “On Foreign Investments», and “On Investment Activities”, which are aimed at creating a favorable investment climate in the country to attract long-term foreign investments and a state guarantee for reliable legal protection of investments and their return. Among the main factors of Turkmenistan’s growing attractiveness for foreign investors is the country's stable economic and political situation, as well as the legislative framework and state guarantees.

Dear TEIF 2025 delegate!

We are confident that participation in the Forum and business meetings with the senior management of Turkmenistan's energy, finance, construction, transport, and communication sectors will increase your awareness and provide you with the most complete information about new investment projects in Turkmenistan’s rapidly growing economy.

We hope the upcoming Forum will be an excellent platform for establishing mutually beneficial cooperation!