Turkmenistan is taking concrete steps toward joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) by preparing a “Memorandum on Foreign Trade Rules.” This document is intended to establish formalized guidelines for the country’s foreign trade practices in line with WTO standards.
The initiative was discussed during a recent Cabinet meeting led by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, where the Foreign Minister reported on the progress of WTO cooperation. The memorandum signals Turkmenistan’s effort to transition from a trade regime marked by heavy administrative controls toward a framework that embraces international trade norms.
Membership in the WTO requires adherence to a comprehensive set of rules covering trade policy transparency, non-discrimination among trading partners through the Most Favored Nation (MFN) principle, and limitations on non-tariff barriers. Members must also comply with commitments to reduce tariffs and subsidies and observe restrictions on certain investment measures, such as local content requirements. Additionally, the WTO provides a binding dispute resolution mechanism to ensure compliance across nations.
Currently, Turkmenistan’s trade system operates with greater administrative regulation and less institutional integration into the global rules-based order. Since establishing an accession working group in 2022, Turkmenistan has remained in the early stages of negotiations with the WTO. Completing the memorandum is a key milestone in these talks, as it will document the country’s foreign trade regime and align it with the expectations of WTO membership.
Unlike current WTO members, Turkmenistan has yet to commit to tariff harmonization, systematic trade barrier reductions, and full transparency in its trade policies. The preparation of this memorandum marks a strategic move toward meeting those obligations and integrating into the multilateral trading system.