Ashgabat:Turkmenistan is actively exploring opportunities to collaborate with Austrian partners to enhance its railway infrastructure. This includes potential procurement of specialized equipment from German-Swiss industrial conglomerate Liebherr, as announced by the country's Ministry of Railway Transport.
According to Trend News Agency, discussions took place on Thursday between Turkmenistan's Minister of Railway Transport Mammet Akmammedov and an Austrian delegation led by Federal Council President Christine Schwarz-Fuchs. The talks concentrated on leveraging foreign expertise and technology to support Turkmenistan's railway modernization, focusing on upgrading rolling stock, supplying specialized machinery, enhancing technical maintenance services, introducing digital solutions, and training personnel.
During the meeting, Akmammedov detailed ongoing efforts to modernize the country's railway infrastructure and enhance its transit capacity. The Austrian delegation, which included Austria's Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Etienne Berthold, and representatives from Liebherr, showed a keen interest in expanding their engagement with Turkmenistan's transport sector.
Both parties agreed to pursue further discussions aimed at identifying specific projects and establishing long-term partnerships. In addition, Akmammedov extended an invitation to Austrian business representatives to participate in the International Conference and Exhibition "International Transport and Transit Corridors Connectivity and Development - 2026" (ITTC 2026), scheduled to take place in Ashgabat from November 24-26.
Liebherr, a prominent German-Swiss family-owned industrial group, was founded in 1949 by Hans Liebherr. It is headquartered in Bulle, Switzerland, with significant production facilities in Germany. The company is recognized as a leading manufacturer of construction and mining machinery, cranes, and specialized equipment, employing over 55,000 people globally and reporting revenue of approximately £14.8 billion in 2025. Liebherr produces a variety of equipment essential for railway and infrastructure projects, including cranes, material-handling systems, and specialized machinery.