Turkmenistan has unveiled a $5 billion “smart” city named Arkadag in honor of its former leader, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, cementing his extensive personality cult.
The secretive country, known for limited access to foreign media, showcased the new city located southwest of the capital, Ashgabat.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Serdar Berdymukhamedov, the son of the former president and the current leader of Turkmenistan.
Participants dressed in traditional Turkmen attire chanted praises to Arkadag and Serdar, acknowledging the father-son duo’s significance in the country’s governance.
Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who held power from 2006 to 2022, remains the de facto decision-maker despite his son assuming the presidential role.
On his 66th birthday, the elder Berdymukhamedov was absent from the ceremony as he was on a Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Critics accuse Turkmenistan of allocating excessive funds from gas profits toward extravagant projects that promote the personality cult of its leaders, providing limited benefits to the wider population.
Arkadag, situated in an earthquake-prone region, is planned to accommodate approximately 73,000 residents. The city features various monuments, including a sculpture depicting Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on an Akhal-Teke horse, his favorite breed.
Authorities have portrayed Arkadag as a futuristic city that incorporates environmentally friendly technologies in its construction.
According to an anonymous employee from the construction and architecture ministry, Berdymukhamedov actively supervised the project and provided valuable recommendations.
The employee expressed gratitude for the former president’s efforts in creating a beautiful city on the ancestral land.
Despite international criticism of the personality cult surrounding Berdymukhamedov, the completion of Arkadag reinforces the exceptional devotion and influence he continues to hold in Turkmenistan.
