Tag Archives: Turkmenistan

Devaluation stokes salary rises in Turkmenistan

MAY 4 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Salaries have risen by nearly 10% since the beginning of the year in Turkmenistan, official media reported quoting the Turkmen finance ministry.

This piece of data is important for two main reasons. Firstly, it is a rare piece of data from Turkmenistan’s government on prices and inflation. Secondly, it shows the probable impact of the devaluation by 30% of Turkmenistan’s manta currency on Jan. 1.

Turkmenistan, like other countries in the region, has been struggling to cope with the fall in global energy prices and the downturn in Russia’s economy that has slashed around 50% off the value of its rouble currency.

Both issues have pressured Central Asian economies and Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedobv ordered the Central Bank to cut the value of the manat for the first time in seven years.

Typically, currency devaluations in Central Asia have triggered inflation and, although not officially confirmed, this appears to be the case in Turkmenistan.

The Turkmen finance ministry said salaries had risen by 9.5% in the first three months of the year. It didn’t give any more information.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 230, published on May 6 2015)

Europe wants gas from Turkmenistan by 2019

MAY 1 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – The European Union wants to take gas deliveries from Turkmenistan from 2019, part of a determined drive to use Central Asia to weaken Russia’s grip over its energy supplies.

On a trip to Ashgabat, Maros Sefcovic, a European Commission vice-president and its top energy official, said gas could be sent to Europe from Turkmenistan either through a proposed pipeline that runs along the Caspian Sea floor or via Iran and then through neighbouring Turkey.

“Europe expects supplies of Turkmen gas to begin by 2019,” he said after meeting Turkmen president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

For years Europe and Turkmenistan have discussed the tantalising potential of Turkmen gas reaching European households, but Mr Sefcovic’s trip to Ashgabat and subsequent statement is the strongest indication yet that what once appeared rather fanciful could actually materialise.

And it would be a game changer for Europe and Turkmenistan.

Europe is desperate to reduce Russia’s grip over its gas supplies, especially since the eruption of war in east Ukraine and the souring of relations with the Kremlin.

Turkmenistan, which holds the world’s fourth largest gas reserves and has been maturing its production process, is eager for more clients.

Currently China buys most of Turkmenistan’s gas. Europe, though, would be another large, stable client and it would propel Turkmenistan into the top division of global gas suppliers.

On his trip to Ashgabat, Mr Sefcovic also met with energy ministers from Azerbaijan and Turkey. The EU needs their support to pump Turkmen gas.

The stakes are high for both Europe and Turkmenistan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 230, published on May 6 2015)

Turkmen President visits Italy

MAY 5 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – In a rare trip to the EU, Turkmen president Kurbanguly Bedymukhamedov flew to Italy to meet Italian PM Matteo Renzi. A Turkmen government statement said he discussed energy security and bilateral relations at the meeting. The EU is hoping to secure gas deliveries from Turkmenistan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 230, published on May 6 2015)

Turkmenistan launches satellite into space

APRIL 27 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan successfully launched its first telecommunications satellite, raising the country’s international status and handing President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov a nice PR boost.

The satellite, known as TurkmenAlem52E, the launch to will beam television services 1.2b people across the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Europe for the next 15 years, reports said.

Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between France’s Thales and Italy’s Finmeccanica, built the satellite which was launched into space by a private company called SpaceX.

A Turkmen government website said that Mr Berdymukahmedov watched the launch at the Cape Canaveral Air Force base in Florida via a video-link from Ashgabat.

As usual emphasised the website Turkmenistan’s neutrality, a constant theme that the country plays to whenever it can in international affairs.

“As a neutral country, our country acts on the international scene with peace-loving and humanist initiatives consistently following the principles of good-neighbourliness, friendship and brotherhood,” the website said.

Presumably, as well as boosting Turkmenistan’s international standing, the satellite will also generate an income.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Turkmens celebrate horses

APRIL 29 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan celebrated one of its biggest holidays of the year on the Day of the Horse, an important symbol for the country that celebrates horsemanship as a key skill and sign of manhood. Not the retiring type, Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov also accepted a new title of the People’s Horse Breeder.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Turkmen President to visit Astana

APRIL 27 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmen president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov will travel to Astana to meet with Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev soon, Kazakh media reported. This is important because Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are partnering up on a rail project linking Central Asia with Iran.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 229, published on April 29 2015)

Dragon Oil increases production in Turkmenistan

APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Dragon Oil, a small London-listed oil producer, increased output at its operation in Turkmenistan by 23% in Q1 2015 compared to Q1 2014, it said. Average production at its Cheleken field was just over 88,000 barrels a day between Jan. 1 and March 31.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)

Turkmenistan plans to ban satellite

APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – The authorities in Turkmenistan plan on banning households from owning satellite dishes in an effort to block access to stations critical of its government, the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). RFE/RL said that it was the government’s main target.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)

Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan talks on transport corridor

APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – A delegation from the Azerbaijani national railway company travelled to Ashgabat for talks with its Turkmen counterparts on developing a transport corridor, media reported. Turkmenistan wants to boost trade with Europe.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)

Turkmenistan created new telecom company

APRIL 21 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Communications and its subsidiary, Turkmen Telecom, have created a new telecoms company called Ashgabat Shaher Telefon Ulgamy (ASTU).

ASTU, which means Ashgabat Urban Telephone Network, is tasked with improving the efficiency of the network and appears to be a part of Turkmenistan’s strategy to boost its telecoms networks.

“High-quality communication services, as well as high-speed channels to connect to broadband Internet and data transmission are ensured,” media quoted the government owned Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper as saying.

“Laying of transnational fibre-optic communication lines continues with the aim of expanding the interstate telephone traffic.”

The government-approved press release on the creation of the new company was the only information available.

Last month, the government also approved an ambitious plan to construct a fibre- optic line between the Caspian port of Turkmenbashi and Baku, Azerbaijan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 228, published on April 22 2015)