National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held an informal meeting, during which they underscored the importance of increasing mutual trade turnover to $1 billion in the coming years, the Kazakh President’s press service reported Tuesday.

The leaders also discussed strengthening their strategic partnership, with a focus on the gas sector — including Kazakhstan’s potential participation in the development of Turkmenistan’s massive Galkynysh gas field.

Special attention was given to the Turghundi–Herat–Kandahar–Spin Boldak railway project, seen as a key step toward diversifying transport routes and expanding export potential. Other key infrastructure initiatives include the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway and the Turkmenbashi–Garabogaz–Kazakhstan border highway.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also reviewed prospects for cooperation in education and digitalization.

As part of Berdimuhamedov’s friendly visit, the two leaders toured a number of cultural and historical sites in the city of Turkestan.