OREANDA-NEWS. February 27, 2008. The official visit of President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayyan to Turkmenistan called upon to add a new page to the chronicle of the intergovernmental relations maintained over the years has started on February 27.

The visit of the leader of one of the most influential countries of Muslim world is another evidence of the high international prestige gained by Turkmenistan and its leader’s policy, the priorities of which include enhancement of international co-operation with the long-term and reliable partners, first of all.

It is remarkable that the leaders of Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates held the regular meeting against the background of the intergovernmental dialogue obviously intensified over the last year and highlighting the mutual endeavours and readiness for overall enhancement of full-scale partnership in the mutual interests. As is known, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s visit to the United Arab Emirates in August 2007 imparted the special dynamics and laid the solid foundation for bilateral co-operation aimed at full-scale implementation of the huge potential.

To date, over 16 bilateral documents signed at the international, intergovernmental and interdepartmental levels form the foundation of the bilateral co-operation. In accordance with the documents the countries opened the embassies, established the regular air communication and expand trade and economic co-operation that is evidenced by the dynamics of increasing the trade turnover over the past years. In 2007, the trade turnover made up US$ 454.4 million, or increased as high as 1.7 times as compared to 2006.

In 2007 the UAE ranked the seventh in distribution of Turkmenistan’s foreign trade turnover. Turkmenistan’s main export items to the United Arab Emirates include textile goods, chemical and agricultural products, the products of light industry and fuel and energy sector. From the United Arab Emirates Turkmenistan imports equipment, transport vehicles, household devices, metal and metal goods, food products, construction materials, etc.

The UAE’s companies make the heavy investments in development of Turkmen economy and implement the projects on construction and reconstruction of the social facilities and in a variety of fields including oil and gas industry, energy sector, water industry, healthcare, transport, communication, etc. Over the past ten years a great number of the joint large-scale projects were implemented. The first projects include the UAE President, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayyan Orphans’ Palace, the business centre and the mosque built by the UAE’s companies on a gratuitous basis. With the direct financial support of the Abu Dhabi Development Fund the International Medical Centre for Internal Diseases (Nephrology Centre) were built in the Turkmen capital, the Archamn sanatorium and the landing strip in the Mary airport were reconstructed.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Development of Turkmenistan, as of January 1, 2008 42 enterprises with the share of the United Arab Emirates, of them 15 are as legal entities, were registered in the territory of Turkmenistan. 54 projects and contracts with the companies and firms from the UAE amounted to over US$ 88.3 million were registered for the same period.

There is no doubt that the Turkmen-Arab top-level talks will promote expanding and enhancing the existing relations and fruitful partnership for happiness and wellbeing of the two friendly nations.