Ashgabat, April 4, 2013 – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported a study tour of ten Turkmenistan government officials to Brussels, Belgium. The study tour on March 25 - April 2, 2013 provided advanced training and insights on International Protocol, Cross-Cultural Communications and Negotiations. The government officials taking part in the study tour represented the key Turkmen government ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Development, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Turkmenistan, and Turkmen Gas. 

USAID, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the International School of Protocol and Diplomacy in Brussels, created a unique and customized program for Turkmenistan officials, which included visits to the European Commission, European Parliament and a visit to the Hague. The study tour gave Turkmen specialists the opportunity to apply their skills on official protocol, communications, and negotiations during a range of in-person meetings and discussions with various high-level European officials.