Port Bottleneck: TRACECA officials say Turkmenbashi’s Caspian container port is running at just 25–30% because carriers face visa and permit hurdles, even as the Trans-Caspian route demand rises. Caspian Energy & Deals: Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim-linked coverage highlights long-term Russian energy guarantees and a major PETRONAS push into Turkmenistan gas blocks, underscoring how government-to-government diplomacy is reshaping energy security. Bilateral Trade Push (Kazakhstan): A Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan Business Forum in Astana brought 100 Kazakh firms and 40 Turkmen companies together across transport, logistics, construction, agriculture, chemicals and more, with multiple cooperation and e-commerce documents signed. Water & Food Security Planning: UN and Turkmen officials joined a hardtalk on water scenarios (2026–2050), aiming to map risks to agriculture, jobs and livelihoods and build coordinated responses. Climate Transparency Conference: Turkmenistan took part in Bishkek’s ReCATH Phase II wrap-up, reviewing NDC progress and setting priorities for a potential Phase III. International Finance: Turkmenistan’s finance ministry finalized a $314,000 World Bank advisory deal to align national accounts with SNA-2025 and refine GDP measurement, alongside green economy and methane-reduction topics. Diplomatic Business Links: Turkmenistan met U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Germany’s outgoing ambassador, while Georgia talks focused on investment, banking and tax-system efficiency. Tourism Signals: Reports say Turkmenistan is tentatively opening to visitors, with fewer visa rejections and plans to expand tourism.