The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan held a meeting on December 25 to discuss preparations for the signing of a package of loan agreements with the Islamic Development Bank to finance a number of projects in Turkmenistan. Deputy Prime Minister Tuvakmammed Japarov made a report on this issue. According to the Vice Prime Minister, at its meeting in Jeddah on 22-23 December 2009, the Board of Executive Directors of the IDB approved a project to finance the construction of the Bereket - Etrek segment of the Gyzylgaya - Bereket - Etrek railroad, which is part of the transnational railway trunk North - South. US $ 371,200 million will be allocated for the implementation of this project.

According to T. Dzhaparov, there were approved a total of 9 projects, including 3 projects of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, 2 projects of the Ministry of Railway Transport, 1 project of the air transport sector, 1 project of the state concern Turkmenavtoyollary. The bank also supported the project for the further development of the famous deposits of fresh water "Yaskhan", which was submitted by the administration of Balkan province of Turkmenistan. Among the proposals approved by foreign investors there is also a project on granting a credit to the banking system of Turkmenistan for financing of small and medium businesses.

Expressing his satisfaction with the decision of the Board of Executive Directors of the IDB, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the approved package of loan agreements totaling nearly $ 1 billion is yet another indication of the high interest of foreign business circles in increasing cooperation with Turkmenistan. As the president noted, in general, this year's agreements on foreign investments in Turkmenistan exceed US $ 6 billion dollars.

The head of state instructed vice-premiers to prepare feasibility studies for investment projects by industries in the shortest possible time and submit them for consideration by the IDB for allocation of credits. Deputy Prime Minister T. Dzhaparov was instructed to take control over the implementation of the president's instruction.