WNAM MONITORING: At the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3), a correspondent for the online publication Business Turkmenistan spoke with Jin Liqun, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) — a leading international financial institution specializing in supporting infrastructure projects worldwide.
First of all, thank you for the opportunity to meet and speak at such an important event for our country. What role does your bank play in developing infrastructure at the regional and global levels?
— It is a great honor for me to be invited by the Government of Turkmenistan and the United Nations to this significant event. Promoting economic development in landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) is critically important for the global economy. Our mission is to foster comprehensive economic and social progress through investments in infrastructure and other productive sectors. By infrastructure, we mean not only traditional assets — roads, railways, airports, and seaports — but also modern infrastructure, including digital systems such as satellites, data centers, and telecommunications. For LLDCs, integration into the global and regional economy is vital. Therefore, we actively cooperate with countries in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Turkmenistan is an important partner in this process.
What are your impressions of Turkmenistan and its infrastructure achievements?
— I first visited Turkmenistan 20 years ago as vice president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Since then, I have closely followed the country’s economic and social progress and am very impressed by the achievements. The Turkmen government is committed to improving the welfare of its people, and the people work diligently toward that goal. We would warmly welcome Turkmenistan’s membership in AIIB and look forward to jointly promoting sustainable infrastructure projects.
AIIB has financed projects in Central Asia, such as the railway bypass around Almaty. Does the bank plan similar investments in Turkmenistan?
— We have officially invited Turkmenistan to become a full member of AIIB and hope to begin membership negotiations soon. Meanwhile, we are ready to consider potential projects in the country so that implementation can start promptly after accession. I want to emphasize that AIIB is an international financial institution cooperating not only with developing but also with high-income countries such as Saudi Arabia. Cooperation with the bank is a sign of creditworthiness, trust, and significant economic potential.
In which areas do you see the greatest potential for cooperation with Turkmenistan?
— A very important area is the development of high-speed rail connections linking the country’s eastern and western regions, as well as its northern and southern regions, creating transport corridors with neighboring states. Additionally, projects in electricity transmission, renewable energy, highway construction, and transport corridors are significant. These foundational infrastructure assets will help Turkmenistan increase its export potential and strengthen its economy.
— During these discussions, we also emphasized our high respect for Turkmenistan’s status of permanent neutrality. Strengthening economic resilience and sustainable development is the best way to consolidate this status.
