On 31 October 2026, on the instructions of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Chairperson of the Mejlis D. Gulmanova received the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa to Turkmenistan, Lungisani Dominic Ntombela.

On behalf of the Head of State, the Chairperson of the national Parliament congratulated the diplomat on his appointment to this responsible post and wished him success in his efforts to strengthen friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries and their peoples.

Expressing his gratitude for the warm welcome extended to him on Turkmen soil, the Ambassador conveyed warm greetings and best wishes to the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov from the leadership of the Republic of South Africa.

During the meeting, the diplomat was briefed on the structure of the Mejlis and its multifaceted activities aimed at modernizing the national legislative framework. The Ambassador was also acquainted with the priorities of Turkmenistan’s peaceful foreign policy. Particular attention was paid to the significance of Turkmenistan’s constructive initiatives aimed at strengthening peace, stability and prosperity throughout the world.

The conversation continued with an exchange of views on a wide range of areas for developing cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats, primarily within the framework of the United Nations and other authoritative international organizations.

In conclusion, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Africa to Turkmenistan, Lungisani Dominic Ntombela, emphasized that it was a great honour for him to represent his country in Turkmenistan, a dynamically developing and peace-loving state renowned internationally, and assured that he would make every effort to further advance relations between the two countries.