MARCH 30 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Turkmen president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov officially opened a $1b Belarussian-built potash plant which he hopes will help transform the country’s economy away from near total dependence on gas exports.

Commissioned in 2010 and delayed by a couple of years, the Garlyk potash plant has been held up as a shining example of a strong Belarus-Turkmenistan partnership. The plant was built by Belarussia’s Belgorkhimprom.

For Belarussia, and Belarussian president Alexander Lukashenko was also at the officially opening of the plant, construction of the factory was a chance to show off its expertise and know-how. For Turkmenistan, it signalled a great push by Mr Berdymukhamedov to try to capture a slice of the lucrative fertiliser market in China and India.

At a series of meetings before and after the opening of the potash plant, Mr Berdymukhamedov and Mr Lukashenko reaffirmed trade and partnership commitments towards one another.

Mr Lukashenko also said that there had been talk of Belarus helping Turkmenistan develop its textile industries. Belarus is heavily industrialised but also retains a significant agricultural base, including one of the world’s biggest fertiliser producers.

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MARCH 22 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Turkmenistan will finally start operations at the Garlyk Mining and Processing plant in its north-eastern Lebap province, Turkmen media reported by quoting senior officials at Belgorkhimprom, the Belarusian constructor who has been building the site since 2009. Garlyk is a major potassium salt field and the plant is designed to produce fertilisers. Turkmen president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has said that he wants to diversify the country’s economy away from gas exports.

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