This Foreign Policy Centre event is seeking to explore Turkmenistan, perhaps the least well known or understood of the Central Asian states. It will focus on how the country is being governed and what this means for the rule of law, corruption, the economy and human rights in Turkmenistan, while analysing its relations with neighbours and the international community.

Turkmenistan is currently in the midst of an economic crisis that has seen subsidies withdrawn and rationing imposed. It has complex and fraught relations with neighbouring Russia and Iran, and a growing economic reliance on China. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow’s leadership is becoming increasingly erratic and the country continues to have one of the worst records on rule of law, corruption, human rights and other governance measures. Spotlight on Turkmenistan will bring together FPC research with the contributions of a select group of experts on the country to analyse the situation and help develop recommendations for Western policy makers, businesses and international institutions.