Turkmen President Reaffirms Readiness for Hydrogen Energy Cooperation with Italy
Astana, The Gulf Observer: President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed the country’s readiness to engage in mutually beneficial cooperation with Italy in the field of hydrogen energy, during his address at the inaugural “Central Asia – Italy” summit held in Astana on Friday, according to the Turkmen state news agency.
Highlighting Turkmenistan’s substantial energy resources, President Berdimuhamedov noted that natural gas will continue to serve as the principal source for hydrogen production in the coming decades. He emphasized Turkmenistan’s interest in launching joint partnership projects with Italy to advance hydrogen energy initiatives.
In his speech, the Turkmen leader also reaffirmed the importance of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy principle of permanent neutrality. To mark the 30th anniversary of this policy, he announced the organization of an international forum on peace and trust in Ashgabat on December 12, and extended official invitations to all participating heads of state and government to attend the event.
President Berdimuhamedov outlined several priority areas for economic cooperation with Italy, including energy, transport, industry, finance, and the private sector, while also identifying digitalization, green technologies, and artificial intelligence as promising sectors for future collaboration.
“Turkmenistan, possessing colossal natural gas reserves, is implementing a policy to diversify export routes to international markets. In this regard, we attach great importance to projects aimed at delivering Turkmen gas to Europe,” he stated, underlining the country’s strategic role in regional and global energy security.
In addition to energy matters, Turkmenistan expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation with Italy in tackling environmental and climate challenges, especially through efforts related to energy efficiency, sustainable water resource management, and the introduction of resource-saving technologies.
Reflecting on more than three decades of Italian archaeological work in Turkmenistan, President Berdimuhamedov announced plans to host a cultural exhibition in Rome dedicated to the rich historical heritage of Bronze Age Margiana and the Parthian Kingdom.
Concluding his remarks, the Turkmen President reaffirmed his country’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations with Italy and deepening engagement within multilateral cooperation platforms.
