Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Turkmenistan and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a number of bilateral documents.

The signing ceremony was held after talks in Abu-Dhabi between UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov who was on an official visit to UAE on December 9-11.

The sides signed a program of cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries for 2014, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of higher education, a MoU between the Turkmen Academy of Sciences and the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology of UAE and a MoU on cooperation in the field of hydrometeorology.

A MoU between Turkmen Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry to establish a joint business council, as well as a joint statement were among the signed documents.

Turkmenistan and UAE have been steadily increasing cooperation in the transport and communications sector, construction industry, health and medical industry and agriculture. The two countries have great potential for cooperation in attracting and protecting investments, oil and gas fields and using renewable energy sources, tourism, education and culture.

Turkmenistan is interested in UAE's developed transport and communication infrastructure, balanced economic and investment government policy.

Around 54 enterprises with UAE capital, 96 projects worth $5.276 million and 5.1 million euros have been registered in Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan imports various goods, high-tech products and equipment from the UAE while UAE business circles purchase raw materials in Turkmenistan and finished products created in the country.

Today some 28 documents constitute the legal framework of the interstate cooperation. These documents regulate cooperation in political, economic and cultural spheres.

Trade turnover in 2012 amounted to $423 million. During the first nine months of 2013, trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $1.209 billion 209 million. As of 2013 it is expected that the volume of trade will reach $1.5 billion.

The two countries attach great importance to cooperation within the UN and other international organizations.