The presentation of the “smart” city of Arkadag took place at the Economic Forum of Central Asian Countries, which opened today in the building of the National Library of Tajikistan in Dushanbe, reports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

The Turkmen delegation at the “Digital Economy, Electronic Commerce and Innovation” forum was headed by the Minister of Economy and Finance Serdar Joraev. It also included heads and representatives of a number of ministries and departments of Turkmenistan.

The forum participants were acquainted with information about the first “smart” city of Arkadag in Turkmenistan, built over 4 years, 30 kilometers southwest of the Turkmen capital on the initiative of the National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, which was opened on June 29, 2023. As part of the first stage of its development, 336 modern buildings were erected, including 258 two- and multi-storey residential buildings, public, educational, medical and cultural facilities, sports facilities and engineering systems. Houses in the city of Arkadag are equipped with thermal coverings that regulate the temperature inside depending on the time of year. With the help of these technologies it is supposed to create a comfortable living environment and save energy.

In the new city with environmentally friendly transport (electric buses and electric cars), which has been assigned the status of a city of national significance, 14 engineering systems and structures were erected.

On June 16, 2023, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov launched the second phase of construction of the city of Arkadag.

As part of the second phase, which is due to be completed in 2026, it is planned to build five secondary schools with 720 places each, nine kindergartens with 320 places, a Health House, and a Fire Safety Service building. A railway station, a vehicle depot, a control center, a bus station and industrial facilities will also be built.

During the Economic Forum, an exchange of views also took place on expanding interaction between countries at the level of specific projects, in the field of technological partnership, as well as the creation of joint ventures.

The main attention was paid to increasing trade turnover between the states of the region and creating favorable conditions for this, including expanding logistics routes, modernizing existing corridors for the movement of goods and creating new ones.

Representatives of the Turkmen delegation also took part in sessional discussions on the exchange of experience and prospects for cooperation between the countries of the region in the field of digital economy, implementation of the e-government system, and cooperation between Central Asian countries in the field of innovation.