In September 2023, a large-scale visit by a Turkmen government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov took place in Paris. The trip included dozens of meetings with representatives of French business and the financial sector, Orient.tm reports.
These talks covered a wide range of partners, including banks and financial institutions (Société Générale CIB, Crédit Agricole, Coface, UBAF), as well as industrial and technology corporations such as Airbus, TotalEnergies, Thales, MBDA, Bouygues, and Vinci. Rothschild & Co. was also among the participants, with whom prospects for cooperation in the financial and investment sectors were discussed.
French business has long occupied a significant place in the Turkmen economy, participating in projects in the energy, oil and gas, telecommunications, construction, agriculture, healthcare, and education sectors.
A new phase of dialogue continued in June 2026 at the Tashkent International Investment Forum, where a panel session on corporate governance and attracting investment was held. Representatives of international financial institutions, consulting firms, and government agencies from the region participated in the discussion, including Baroness Ariel Malarde de Rothschild, Partner at Rothschild & Co.
In her speech, she emphasized that the key factors in investor confidence are the quality of decision-making, transparency of accountability, and the balance between state participation and commercial discipline. According to her, investments are driven not by formal governance systems, but by their actual practices and the ability of companies to operate sustainably in a reform environment.
The Baroness also noted Rothschild & Co.'s interest in further engagement with Turkmenistan, including potential advisory services on IPOs and strategic investments. The company already has experience working in Central Asia, including in Uzbekistan, where it is involved in preparing state-owned assets for public market listings.
Thus, the dialogue between Turkmenistan and French financial institutions, which began in 2023, is gradually transforming into a more practical agenda related to the modernization of corporate governance and the country's potential integration into global investment processes.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
June 17, 2026