Less than two months have left before the start of the 2009 Silk Road International Rally that gained the status of the Dakar series. The sporting event initiated by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and welcomed by RF President Dmitriy Medvedev and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev aroused keen interest among the leaders of the world’s off-road rallies. Over 300 applications for participation had been submitted to the organizational committee. Three Volkswagen crews will participate in the rally-raid. The crews of Man, Tatra, Ginaf, Mercedes, KAMAZ-Master confirmed their participation in Truck Class. BMW X-raid, American Robbi Gordon, Spanish Epsilon, French racing structure of Phillip Gasah applied for participation in the competition. The rally is in active preparation.

Central Asia's first International Head and Neck Center was inaugurated in Ashgabat on 21 July. The center is designed for outpatient and inpatient treatment of citizens of Turkmenistan and foreign patients.

The ceremony of signing the Agreement on Cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and the India-CIS Chamber of Commerce and Industry that unites over 12,000 corporations, producers, small and medium business of the friendly country was held in the Turkmen capital. A delegation led by Director General of the India-CIS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Anil Mathur had arrived in Ashgabat for this propose.

A new international airport will be built in Ashgabat. It will carry the name of Oguz Khan. The airport will be fitted with the latest scientific and technological equipment. According to the State Information Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH), the well-known companies from Germany, France and other countries have already expressed their willingness to participate in the development and implementation of this project.