Turkmenistan: 15 years of kleptocracy

Almost 15 years on from coming to power, President Berdymukhamedov shows no apparent interest in opening up Turkmenistan to foreign investors or improving the conditions for his people, instead presiding over a system commonly referred to as a ‘kleptocracy’.

This event explores recent developments in Turkmenistan, and examines to what extent its economy can be analysed given the extreme secrecy under which its government operates.

It also examines the country’s power structures, and asks how the international community should conduct relations with such a secretive state.

Due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter and to facilitate an open discussion, the event’s Q&A session was held under the Chatham House rule and not recorded.