The strategy of diversification of economy of Turkmenistan, initiated by the National Leader of the Turkmen people and successfully realised today under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, is aimed at creation of favourable investment climate, establishment of constructive and mutually beneficial relations with international financial institutions, regional banks, and attraction of large-scale capital investments and modernisation of infrastructure.

In recent years, Turkmenistan has considerably expanded the scope of cooperation with leading financial and economic institutions. In the given context, partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) – an interstate bank specialising in crediting of processes of economic growth in countries of the Asian-Pacific region, is actively developed.

Our country became an ADB member in 2000. In 2010, the Agreement on Resident Mission of the Bank in Turkmenistan was signed. Development of fruitful relations with the Asian Development Bank promotes the strengthening of not only foreign economic relations of the Turkmen state with countries of the Asia and Pacific basin, but also provides additional sources of financing for realisation of large scale regional investment projects.

For years of long-term partnership, ADB has become an active participant in realisation of key projects in various spheres, bringing its contribution to social and economic development of our country.

On May 17, during his working trip to Arkadag city, National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Director of the Resident Mission of the Asian Development Bank in Turkmenistan Artur Andrysiak. At the meeting, the sides pointed out a positive dynamics of cooperation and confirmed aspiration to its further expansion on the basis of the Strategy of partnership with Turkmenistan for 2024-2028, approved by the Board of the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Turkmenistan. As Hero-Arkadag noted, the given document serves as a basis for further development of bilateral interaction.

The Strategy envisages enhancement of effective cooperation in three key areas: rendering of assistance in transition to climate resilient «green» economy; increase of level of competitiveness by means of diversification, development of private sector and human capital; support of structural and institutional transformations.

Hero-Arkadag confirmed readiness of the Government of Turkmenistan for close cooperation with the Asian Development Bank in implementation of the Strategy. With participation of this financial structure in Turkmenistan, two projects in energy and railway branches have been successfully realised. Having underlined that ADB provides Turkmenistan with technical assistance in various branches for a total sum of 12 million US dollars, the Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty focused attention on new possibilities of bilateral relations.

The head of the ADB Resident Mission emphasized that it is a great honour for ADB to participate in investment projects implemented in Turkmenistan, which follows the path of harmonious development and has significant economic potential, in particular, in the innovative Arkadag city, built on the basis of the smart city concept. The Memorandum of Mutual Understanding signed between the State Committee for the Construction of Arkadag City and the Asian Development Bank with participation of Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is aimed at it.

The signed document is aimed at cooperation in the development of energy, water and urban development industries in the Arkadag city, built in accordance with the concept of smart and green city applying modern advanced technologies and digital solutions.

At the same time, the Memorandum provides for measures to introduce relevant technologies, in particular water and energy conservation, the development of renewable energy sources and water reuse, as well as the exchange of best practices in the development and implementation of new projects in these areas.

Let us recall that during the working trip of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty to Arkadag city, made on April 9 of the current year, chairman of the State Committee for the Construction of Arkadag City under the President of Turkmenistan D.Orazov informed on a growing interest of international financial structures in cooperation. It was in this connection marked that at present due measures are taken to provide grants for projects of introduction of new technologies and recycling of waters for generation of electric power from regenerative sources by means of solar panels in Arkadag city.

At the meeting with Director of the ADB Resident Mission in Turkmenistan, Hero-Arkadag noted the importance of partnership in achievement of overall goals and underlined that comprehensive support in realisation of joint initiatives and projects will be rendered.

In that regard, considering that doctor Arkadag attaches a great significance to perfection of activity of establishments of public health services, a proposal was made to open there a training centre for nurses of medical institutions, which is the result of the successful work of the Charity Fund for Providing Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

Medical institutions of Arkadag city correspond to international standards. The system of public health services of the city includes several medical objects. Among them – multifield hospital, children's health and rehabilitation centre, oncological centre, Centre for protection of health of the mother and child, first aid centre, polyclinic. Creation of similar medical institutions of high level not only stimulates modernisation of the system of public health services, but also promotes transformation of Turkmenistan into one of the medical centres of the region.

Within the concept of creation of an industrial complex of medical cluster in Arkadag city, the enterprise «Arkadag Medisina Klasteri Menejment» which daily produces highly demandable products of international quality from the local raw materials for the system of public health services was opened. The production of the medical cluster was registered at the international level and the special certificate of the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization confirmed its trademarks.

At the aforementioned meeting, Hero-Arkadag, having highly appreciated the level of mutual relations, also noted that as a result of cooperation the projects of transport infrastructure that promotes the strengthening of national economy and creation of new workplaces are realised. It in turn makes a positive impact on increase of standards of living of our people and is a bright result of worthy contribution of the authoritative financial structure to revival of the Great Silk road in the new format.

Undoubtedly, results of investment partnership of Turkmenistan and the Asian Development Bank, new ideas and proposals to enhance it will serve expansion of international business cooperation, attraction of large investments into realisation of perspective high-tech projects and intensification of regional links.

Construction of the unique megalopolis of Arkadag, which has received on a legislative basis a special legal status of the city of state significance – a concrete result of grandiose transformations, developed in our country launched by National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and nowadays successfully continued under the leadership of Arkadagly Hero Serdar.

As known, realisation of this up-to-date project is planned in two stages. Within the first stage 336 social and other projects, in construction of which were involved private companies - members of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, were erected.

At present, the second turn of construction of the city harmoniously combining the best traditions of national architecture and modern trends in this area proceeds. In its realisation, over 50 local companies and individual enterprises participate. At the same time, with construction of objects of the medical cluster are busy both local and leading foreign companies.

The unique city by right recognised as the standard of innovative town planning, is a conglomerate of the latest IT technologies and non-standard architectural solutions. It is not without reason that Arkadag city was awarded more than twenty certificates and diplomas by a number of international organisations and famous foreign companies.

The past year, the city was awarded the main award of the international exhibition «World Smart City Expo 2024», held in the Republic of Korea, - «Smart City Excellence Award», the international awards «Foreign City Award» and «For the Great Contribution to the World Smart City Expo 2024» and also awards in the field of Quality Choice Prize 2024 of the Diamond category from the European Society for Quality Research located in Vienna. It testifies to the growing authority of Arkadag city as «smart city» not only in the region, but also all over the world.

Awarding Arkadag city with the certificate on joining the project «Development of climate resilient favourable cities with innovative solutions in the OSCE region», the certificate of Excellence of Hangzhou Dianzi University as an outstanding green, non-polluting city is a bright acknowledgement of the fact that in the initiated innovative concept of development of the new city, including its further construction and accomplishment, formation of a complex infrastructure and as a whole city space, the ecological compatibility principle was laid.

Use of non-polluting materials, which create favourable conditions for life of townspeople, became one of the basic requirements in construction of numerous objects of this modern megacity.

All buildings and constructions in which two and many-storeyed comfortable apartment houses, public, educational, medical, sports and cultural objects, engineering systems, were constructed according to international standards.

As known, within construction of the second turn of Arkadag city not only social projects, but also industrial enterprises, which form the modern industrial cluster will be commissioned into operation.

Each working trip of the National Leader of the Turkmen people to Arkadag city is invariably interlaced with detailed acquaintance of affairs on key building sites. The well-weighed and thought recommendations of Hero-Arkadag, concerning functionality of objects, reliability and safety of structures, their external design become the guidelines for planners, architects, builders and designers.

Among projects of social infrastructure of the second turn – children’s entertaining park, a mosque of Arkadag city and others.

As Hero-Arkadag marks, the new park should provide comfortable pastime, and its design should completely correspond to modern architectural tendencies. The colour pattern of elements of the decor in the territory of the park zone should create uniform harmony. At the same time, it is necessary to give special attention to the system of illumination and quality of sculptural products.

Speaking of building of the mosque in the city and features of decoration of adjoining complex of projects, Hajy Arkadag underlined repeatedly that here the basic accent becomes on application of elements of national architecture which reflect the spirit of our people and also issues of maintenance of ecological standards.

A special significance has the name of the avenue «Ahalteke atlar» in the territory of Arkadag city as this land is considered the primordial native land of Akhal-teke horses.

Let us remind that within the celebrations in honour of the national holiday of the Turkmen horse in Arkadag city the opening ceremonies of a new monument «Taýçanak» and the reconstructed site of the avenue «Ahalteke atlar» between monuments «Akhan» and «Taýçanak» took place.

Installation a monument to the horse Akhan that was included in the Guinness Records Book and a monument «Taýçanak» in Arkadag city recognised as remarkable achievement of the large-scale town-planning program, serve a clear evidence of national love to glorified horses.

The unique composition of the monument «Taýçanak» makes on everyone, including on foreign visitors, unforgettable impression.

In preparation of projects of buildings which will be constructed within the second stage, Hero-Arkadag notes that it is necessary to consider requirements of modern city planning programs and active introduce digital technologies, especially underlining that the head of the state pays much attention to use of products of intellectual property and effective introduction of digital technologies in building and painting and decorating.

The National Leader of the Turkmen people not only acts as the initiator of large and significant building projects, but also holds under personal unrelenting control all stages of their realisation - from designing of an architectural plan, technical maintenance of the future object to its commissioning into operation. Underlining importance of acceleration of rates of realisation of the second turn of the new city and maintenance of timely commissioning of objects in operation, Hero-Arkadag constantly places emphasis on necessity of due equipment of industrial objects and attraction of investments.

As known, recognising invaluable merits and huge contribution to national town planning which gained world heights, according to the decision of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was awarded the honorary title «Honoured architect of Turkmenistan».

Day by day «smart» city of Arkadag grows with new modern objects, giving to townspeople all conditions for happy and peaceful life.

Everything that is new in the sphere of building technologies is applied in the city of Arkadag. With realisation of the second stage, the smart city will enter a new phase of development, a new era of history as a city of innovations, high city culture and investment activity.

Thus, development of mutually beneficial international cooperation provides realisation of many-sided economic potential of Turkmenistan, its further dynamical development. Interest and desire of international financial structures to invest in Turkmenistan testifies to the high trust in our country as a reliable and responsible partner.