The next step towards Turkmenistan's accession to the WTO

WTO members agreed today to establish a working party for the accession of Turkmenista  to the organization. With a population of about 6.2 million, Turkmenistan is the last of the former Soviet republic to apply for WTO membership. 

Ambassador Atageldi Haljanov thanked members for supporting his country’s application for WTO accession. "Turkmenistan’s decision to become an acceding country at the WTO demonstrates the country’s objective to adhere to the rules of the multilateral trading system," he said.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala congratulated Turkmenistan following the decision by the General Council to establish a working party for its WTO accession. "Today's decision marks a significant step in Turkmenistan's relationship with the multilateral trading system," she said.

For information, Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala received on 24 November Turkmenistan’s official application to join the WTO under Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization.