BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 19. Turkmenistan is seeking to strengthen its innovation ecosystem and intellectual property protection as part of efforts to support economic development.
This was announced in a statement published by the press service of the Turkmen government following a meeting chaired by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, during which Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov reported on measures in this area.
"The further enhancement of the importance of the intellectual property system in the innovative and economic development of the country, improvement of the national legislative framework in accordance with international standards and ensuring effective protection of copyrights have been identified among the key areas of state policy," the report says.
According to the report, the government plans to implement measures under the Concept for the Development of Turkmenistan's Intellectual Property System for 2026-2052, including the study and adoption of international practices, professional development of national specialists and expanded cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO).
The proposed measures also include holding a seminar in Ashgabat with the EAPO on promoting innovation and invention, with discussions expected to cover intellectual property protection, invention registration and the introduction of inventions into production, the press service said.
Turkmenistan is also considering joining the Eurasian program for accelerated patent processing, which could reduce duplication in patent examination procedures and improve the efficiency of processing patent applications.
The government is additionally considering accession to international agreements administered by WIPO concerning trademark registration and procedures. It also considers the use of WIPO's Innovation Potential Navigator tool to assess opportunities for applying the mechanism in the country.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov approved the proposals on developing cooperation with international organizations in the intellectual property sphere and instructed Meredov to carry out the necessary work, the press service said.
Turkmenistan's efforts come as the country seeks to broaden the role of innovation, research and higher-value production in its economic development. Strengthening the mechanisms for registering and protecting inventions could provide a framework for bringing research and technological developments from universities, research institutions and private companies into commercial production.
