From Ashgabat to the World: Logistics, Trade, and Turkmenistan's Emerging Export Economy MECACS Seminar Series with Guest Speaker Aknur Saparova

Turkmenistan rarely features in conversations about Eurasian trade and connectivity, despite sitting at a genuine crossroads-a Caspian coastline to the west, China's transport corridors to the east, and an emerging role in routes such as the Middle Corridor and the Lapis Lazuli Corridor toward Afghanistan and South Asia. Drawing on direct experience in freight forwarding, customs clearance, and export development, this talk looks at what regional connectivity actually looks like from the ground: the practical realities of moving goods across Central Asian borders, the gap between summit-level trade agreements and day-to-day logistics, and what it would take for Turkmenistan's export economy to grow beyond hydrocarbons. It offers a practitioner's view of a country whose transport and trade potential is only beginning to be discussed on the international stage.
Aknur Saparova is a Head of Logistics and International Operations at Ykjam Hereket, a company providing services in Oil & Gas, Energy, Chemistry, and Logistics Solutions. Manages cross-border transport, customs clearance, and emerging logistics corridors linking Turkmenistan to Central Asia, China, and Europe. Professional focus centers on Central Asian trade and regional connectivity, particularly the Middle Corridor (TITR). A Chevening Scholar, she holds an MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Cranfield University and is a Certified Customs Specialist.