The 84th International Meeting of the CIS Railway Transport Council (CIS) opened in the capital today. This historically significant international forum, held in the year “Independent Neutral Turkmenistan – Homeland of the Purposeful Winged Steeds”, is an important step toward strengthening economic ties and expanding cooperation between the railway authorities of the participating countries.
The official opening of the prestigious Forum took place in the conference hall of the Yyldyz Hotel, located in a picturesque corner of the capital. The welcoming Address from President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the meeting participants added special significance and status to the event.
As the head of state noted in his message, the draft Resolution “The UN Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026–2035”, presented on September 23, 2025, at the plenary meeting of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, was approved by the United Nations later that year. This opens up broad opportunities for uniting the efforts of the international community by developing transport corridors, enhancing their sustainability, and ensuring accessibility for all countries.
The President also emphasized that Turkmenistan takes an active position in the development of transport and transit corridors, including at the United Nations and other major international organizations.
The welcoming Address by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov was received with great attention.
It should be noted that the meeting, which was held with the participation of the heads and representatives of the Ministry of Railway Transport of Turkmenistan and railway departments of the CIS countries, also focused on related events.
As the speakers emphasized, the agenda of the regular meeting of the CIS Council for Railway Transport includes issues of coordinating rail transport operations at the interstate level, ensuring the technological integrity of the international rail network, and its development in the current environment.
Since 1992, Turkmenistan has been an active member of this organization and has made a significant contribution to the development of a coordinated transport policy in the region. This facilitates the harmonious development of regional railway infrastructure and the effective implementation of a unified transport strategy. As a result, international transit freight routes within the CIS countries are expanding.
During the meeting, the results of the organization’s activities over the past period were also summarized and promising areas of cooperation were discussed. An exchange of views took place on the implementation of the tasks arising from the work program of the Council for Railway Transport of the CIS Member States.
The speakers noted that Turkmenistan is taking an active role in increasing transit freight volumes in the region. As noted, the radical modernization and development of transport infrastructure opens up broad prospects for further deepening international cooperation.
Emphasizing that transport diplomacy occupies a special place in Turkmenistan’s peace-loving foreign policy, aimed at building bridges of friendship and cooperation between states, regions, and continents, the meeting participants emphasized the importance of exchanging views in this area at the current meeting with relevant representatives of CIS member states.
It was particularly noted that, at Turkmenistan’s suggestion, a resolution was adopted at the 70th plenary meeting of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in May 2023, with the unanimous support of UN member states, declaring November 26 of each year as the “World Sustainable Transport Day”.
In this regard, the speakers noted that the First Global Conference on Sustainable Transport was held in Ashgabat in 2016 under the auspices of the UN, and Turkmenistan’s initiatives in the transport sector, as in other areas, are receiving recognition from the community of nations. This is further evidence that the country’s foreign policy, aimed at strengthening global peace and sustainable development, enjoys broad support.
Currently, our country, located at an important crossroads of the continent, is consistently modernizing the material and technical infrastructure of its national transport system. This, in turn, creates broad opportunities for expanding Turkmenistan’s international transit potential. It is gratifying that international highways and railway lines pass through our country. These include the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway corridor, the Kerki–Ymamnazar–Akina railway, and others, as well as the Turkmenabat–Farab railway bridge across the Amudarya River.
These roads serve as strategic routes connecting international transport corridors and ensure a steady increase in interest from various countries in utilizing our country’s transit capabilities.
In the afternoon, the 2nd “Young Railway Workers” Forum was held as part of the 84th Council meeting, with educational discussions playing a key role. Important tasks related to developing a sustainable development strategy for this sector and training highly qualified specialists for railway transport were also identified.
Prospects for developing transport and transit corridors using railways and increasing freight traffic in the region were discussed. Furthermore, the importance of the issues included in the agenda of the next international meeting of the CIS Council on Railway Transport and the 2nd Young Railway Workers Forum was emphasized.
As is well known, Turkmenistan occupies a leading position in the development of sustainable transport systems internationally. The country’s efforts to strengthen transport links between countries, as well as the results achieved and initiatives put forward in this area, are particularly noteworthy. In this context, one of the key areas of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy strategy has become assistance in the implementation of the General Assembly Resolution “United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035)”.
The recognition by the Community of Nations of the importance of our country’s international initiatives, put forward by the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and now successfully implemented by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, facilitates the further strengthening of our independent, neutral country’s authority in the international arena.
The current events will promote the practical implementation of Turkmenistan’s initiatives to increase freight traffic volumes in the region along the North-South and East-West transport corridors and the effective use of the country’s transit potential globally.
The 84th International Meeting of the CIS Railway Transport Council and the 2nd Young Railway Workers Forum continue.
