WTO Members Start Accession Process for Turkmenistan

World Trade Organization members initiated membership consideration for Turkmenistan at a Feb. 23 General Council meeting, the WTO said. Turkmenistan's application, officially received in November, originally was set to be considered at the 12th Ministerial Conference the next month until the conference was postponed due to COVID-19. In the meeting's stead, the General Council agreed to set up a working party to oversee accession negotiations with the Central Asian country.

"Turkmenistan's request to start accession negotiations is the result of years of intensive domestic work, complemented by assistance from partners and the WTO Secretariat to understand the benefits of the accession process and eventually WTO membership," WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said. "By creating a working party for Turkmenistan's accession, the General Council has now completed the WTO accession map in Central Asia, one of our most active regions for expanding membership."