Last week, the capital’s “Sergi Köşgi” Expo Center hosted an economic forum of the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union of Turkmenistan devoted to the 7th anniversary of its establishment. It was co-organized by the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the country. During the two-day forum, thousands of residents and guests of Ashgabat visited the exposition and got a clear picture of the activity and produce of individual enterprises, economic societies, and private entrepreneurs from different regions of the country and the capital. Among 180 exponents were also the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, subdivisions of the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union of Turkmenistan – the “Rysgal” Joint-Stock Commercial Bank, “Birleshme gurlushyk” enterprise, “Byasdesh” Trade House, “Business School” and others. Multi-aspect themes of the exhibition included key areas of the private sector development, having showcased its achievements, export potential and prospects for growth in such sectors as construction and building materials, processing of agri-industrial products, food production, and fishery. Private producers of goods, which are highly competitive with imported ones in their quality, assortment and design, thanks to introduction of the most advanced innovative technologies, have saturated local markets with a variety of meat, sausage, dairy, cheese, bakery and confectionary products, excellent quality ice cream, sweets and natural fruit juices, increasing food abundance in the country. Turkmen entrepreneurs rapidly develop their potential in such sectors as furniture production, clothing manufacture, the printing industry, household chemistry, gardening and landscaping, offer a wide range of services, including in the fields of transport and communications, information technologies and trade. They also make a weighty contribution to tourism, physical training, and sport, advertising business. The construction and building materials industry takes the leading place in the scope of our entrepreneurs’ activities. In these priority areas, when industrial and social infrastructure, network of transport links and power supply lines are developing at a rapid pace in the country, the scope of participation of Turkmen companies and firms in realization of comprehensive development programs in the capital – Ashgabat city and all regions of the country is clearly seen. To mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union of Turkmenistan, a conference of industrialists and entrepreneurs (simultaneously with the exhibition) was held in the conference hall of the Union’s Business Center with participation of more than 600 representatives. Foreign guests – members of delegations of business circles of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Belarus were also invited to the meeting. At the conference, heads of the Union’s subdivisions, some companies and firms delivered reports on the achievements made and future plans. The conference participants considered a wide range of issues, including further intensification of entrepreneurial activities in perspective areas of the national economy, investment activity, exploration of the home and foreign markets, strengthening and expansion of close contacts with foreign companies and enterprises as part of agreements of Turkmenistan with its partner countries. In the frames of the conference, the best enterprises of the year were awarded prizes. Numerous meetings of entrepreneurs with representatives of ministries and agencies, as well as with foreign colleagues were held at the exhibition. Their attendees concretized a sphere of mutual interests and areas of potential cooperation. A get-acquainted excursion was organized for the foreign partners to the south-western neighborhood of the capital, where a new administrative, business and cultural center is being formed within the framework of the 13th stage of the Ashgabat Redevelopment Program. Its realization is fully assigned to local private construction companies. The guests also visited one of the leading enterprises of the private sector – the “Aibolek” Furniture Factory, as well as the “Berkarar” Shopping and Entertainment Center.