Turkmenistan is preparing to celebrate the 31st anniversary of sacred independence. In the Epoch of the Revival of a new era of a powerful state, this significant holiday has become the personification of the triumph of the policy of peace and progress pursued by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. A vivid illustration of this is the events of the past week, marked by new proposals put forward by the head of state from the high rostrum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, eloquently testifying to the ever-increasing role of Turkmenistan in the global political and economic space, the dynamic development of the Motherland.
On September 12, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a working meeting via the digital system on the state of affairs in the agro-industrial complex, the implementation of the country's socio-economic development programs, and preparations for the celebration of the 31st anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence.
The head of state stressed the importance of the work carried out in the agro-industrial complex, in particular, the cotton harvest and maintaining high rates of winter wheat sowing, completing these campaigns on time.
Along with the efficient use of agricultural machinery and equipment, the main requirement is the creation of appropriate conditions for the productive work and rest of farmers and machine operators, providing them with the necessary resources in full.
In addition, the quality of work on the care for late potatoes and other fruit and vegetable crops should always be under control.
Particular emphasis was placed on preparations for the celebration of the 31st anniversary of the independence of the Motherland, priority areas for the socio-economic development of the regions, the need for timely and high-quality commissioning of the facilities planned for this year.
On September 15-16, the head of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov made a two-day working visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan, where, at the invitation of the Uzbek leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev, he took part as an honored guest in a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
On the same day, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a number of bilateral meetings with his foreign counterparts - with President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming. In the course of an in-depth discussion of promising areas of cooperation, the parties' focus was confirmed on the activation and diversification of productive ties, taking into account the existing diverse potential.
Speaking at the Summit on September 16th, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted that Turkmenistan is ready to cooperate with the SCO, build multifaceted, flexible forms and schemes of interaction in politics, in the field of security, in the economy, trade and investment, in the cultural and humanitarian direction.
Our country also expresses its desire and readiness to establish closer and substantive political and diplomatic cooperation, cooperation in such areas as the fight against terrorism, extremism, organized crime, drug trafficking and other types of illegal activities.
Among the priority common goals of the partnership, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov highlighted protection and provision on a global scale of the rule of law and recognized international legal norms, principles and spirit of the UN Charter, their inviolability and irreplaceability.
In this regard, the head of state informed the leaders of the SCO countries about the international initiatives of Turkmenistan at the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly - to initiate the development of a draft resolution of the UN General Assembly “Dialogue is a guarantee of peace”, as well as to submit to the UN General Assembly a proposal to declare 2025 the “Year of Peace and trust.”
Taking into account the fact that the 15th anniversary of the establishment of UNRCCA is going to be celebrated in December 2022, Turkmenistan intends to submit to the General Assembly a draft resolution on the role of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, the founders of which are, among other things, four SCO member states, reflecting this document contains significant events of recent years, including the proclamation of the Zone of Peace, Trust and Cooperation in Central Asia.
As the head of state emphasized, Turkmenistan is open for a serious expansion and deepening of trade and economic partnership with SCO, for which there are not only real opportunities, but also an objective necessity. The presence in our countries of a powerful resource and production base, geographic proximity, already developed competencies and experience of interaction in bilateral and multilateral formats provide today the most favorable conditions for establishing long-term sustainable ties in transport, logistics, communications, energy, creating trade and economic integration corridors along North-South and East-West lines.
In this regard, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed his confidence in the expediency of the active participation of the SCO in the formation of a system of transport and transit corridors and logistics along the China-Central Asia-Caspian Sea-Black Sea line. At the same time, together with the parties concerned, our country is ready for joint activities to improve the efficiency of the transport corridor, which provides cargo transportation from Russian ports in the Baltic to sea terminals in the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Noting that Turkmenistan is also ready for systemic and long-term cooperation with the SCO in the energy sector, the head of state voiced a proposal to actively start planning joint projects to diversify energy supplies in order to meet both the needs of the Organization's member countries and with the prospect of entering foreign markets.
In conclusion of his speech, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov stressed that close, friendly, fraternal ties with the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have been and remain one of the priorities of Turkmenistan's foreign policy.
Priority issues of state life were put on the agenda of the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held by the President of Turkmenistan on September 17th via a digital system.
Among the topics discussed were the strengthening of the country's regulatory and legal framework, taking into account the priority tasks of the socio-economic development of the state at a new stage, the modernization of the activities of the fuel and energy complex, increasing the efficiency of agricultural production, further improving the infrastructure of the electric power industry, and measures taken to prevent the negative impact of the Aral Sea in Turkmenistan.
Reports were also given about preparations for a wide celebration of the next anniversary of state independence, the decoration of the capital on the occasion of a significant date, the organization of festive races at the International Akhal-Teke Equestrian Complex, and an exhibition of the country's economic achievements.
A number of proposals were submitted for consideration by the President of Turkmenistan.
In particular, it was reported that it is planned to adopt new drafts of a number of legal acts regulating the sphere of road construction and financing of work in this area, as well as prices for cargo transportation by road.
A draft Plan for the opening of new passenger bus stations in the Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary velayats, designed to provide high-quality services to the population on urban, suburban and intercity routes, was also presented.
The proposals inclided the provision to ministries, sectoral departments, public organizations, hyakimliks, institutions and enterprises subordinate to them of land for construction and production purposes for permanent and temporary use.
A separate topic of the meeting was the work on the development of digital diplomacy of Turkmenistan, carried out in order to enhance the activities of the national diplomatic service in the international information space and improve the tools of national digital diplomacy.
Thus, in order to expand and unify the country's electronic communications system, it is proposed to create an autonomous National Digital Network, a specialized Digital Library for collecting, highlighting and systematizing resolutions and other documents adopted within the framework of the UN and other authoritative organizations, as well as a digital museum of the diplomatic service of Turkmenistan.
For the prompt and consistent dissemination of information about our country in the global Internet space, it is proposed to establish long-term cooperation with major international media companies.
Among the proposals voiced is the creation of a media platform for mobile phones of the diplomatic service, which will allow covering daily news via cellular communications, providing our citizens with prompt access to consular services and establishing a stable information exchange.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov stressed that the development of digital diplomacy opens up wide opportunities for promoting constructive interaction on the world stage, creating new mechanisms for communication, exchanging experience and knowledge, and instructed to continue relevant work in this direction.
Among other events of the past week, the XXIII conference of the Humanitarian Association of World Turkmens was held in Ashgabat under the chairmanship of the President of the Humanitarian Association of World Turkmens, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh, Honorary Elder of the country Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Representatives of the Turkmen diasporas from a number of states, ethnic Turkmens from abroad working in our country, as well as delegates from all regions of the Motherland took part in the work of the forum, traditionally timed to coincide with the national holiday - the Independence Day of Turkmenistan.
In his keynote speech, the Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh, President of the Humanitarian Association of the Turkmens of the World, Honorary Elder of the country Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized the importance of gaining sovereignty by Turkmenistan, spoke about the long-term plans for the work of the HATW in order to strengthen the cultural and humanitarian ties of the Turkmen diasporas abroad, modern achievements of Turkmenistan, its growing international prestige.
Over the past 31 years since its inception, the Humanitarian Association of Turkmens of the World has been consistently implementing its goals and carrying out large-scale humanitarian and charitable activities, which resulted in fruitful contacts with our brothers living abroad.
At present, there are 27 branches of the Humanitarian Association of World Turkmens in 14 foreign countries. The Association has 345 foreign individual members working in various fields.
As Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh noted, “We are open to all states and peoples of the world. We are constantly developing relations with all countries in the trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian, scientific and educational fields on the basis of mutual benefit, mutual respect and understanding.”
During the Conference, representatives from the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and Afghanistan reported on the activities of the foreign branches of the HATW.
The participants of the Conference also discussed the tasks of further development of cultural and humanitarian cooperation in accordance with the humanistic principles of foreign and domestic policy pursued by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
Within the framework of the forum, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the HATW, a ceremony was held to award members of the Organization, including representatives of the Turkmen diasporas, with an updated sign “Ynsanperwerligiň sarpasy”, which became another evidence of honoring at the state level citizens of foreign states and our country for their merits in improving the activities of the Humanitarian Association Turkmen of the world.
Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan, Honorary Elder of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the International Akhal-Teke Equestrian Complex, located in the picturesque foothills of the Kopetdag, where he got acquainted with the state of affairs, working and rest conditions of the seyis and riders, inquired about the peculiarities of training horses and the state of the treadmills, noting the expediency of joining forces scientists and experienced seyis in joint work.
Arkadag visited the stadium for 10,000 seats, which is being built in the new modern administrative center of the Akhal velayat, where he got acquainted with the projects of the facilities under construction, their location schemes, and the quality of building materials.
Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, advised that two of the center's schools be specialized with in-depth study of foreign languages, as well as build the Akhal velayat secondary vocational pedagogical school and the Akhal velayat secondary vocational medical school. Together with the higher educational institution being built here, related to horse breeding, this will enable young people to receive education in the specialties they are interested in at the most modern level.
The ninth meeting of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Armenian Commission for Economic Cooperation was held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the participation of the heads of individual ministries and departments of our country and the delegation of a friendly state that arrived in Turkmenistan.
The parties discussed the implementation of the agreements reached at the previous meetings, as well as the possibility of deepening cooperation in the political-diplomatic, trade-economic and fuel-energy sectors, as well as in the field of agriculture, construction and architecture and in the humanitarian sphere.
The Mukams Palace of the State Cultural Center hosted the final round of the creative review “Çalsana, bagşy!”, which was held for the first time in our country as part of the competition “Türkmeniň Altyn asyry” proclaimed by the President of Turkmenistan.
The participants of the creative marathon of folk musicians and bakhshi were Turkmen citizens aged 18 to 35 years. 12 dutar musicians and the same number of bakhshis from Ashgabat and the country's velayats made it to the final round of the competition. Among them are 4 girls.
The winners were awarded a special diploma and a gold chain of the President of Turkmenistan, and all the finalists were presented with memorable gifts.
Last week, the cotton processing plant located in the Kunyaurgench etrap received the first tons of “white gold” collected by the farmers of the Dashoguz velayat.
The uninterrupted rhythm of field work is ensured by modern high-performance agricultural machinery. An impressive fleet of trucks and tractors with trailers is involved in the transportation of the harvested crop. Reception points and cotton-cleaning enterprises operate around the clock. The analysis of the quality of the handed-over raw material is carried out by specialists of the State Service “Turkmenstandartlary”, who have laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment at their disposal.
Thus, the events of the past week reflected the great changes taking place in the country related to the achievement of the strategic goals of the state policy pursued by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov - the creation of a competitive economy based on the use of scientific achievements, high technologies and innovations, strengthening the international authority of Turkmenistan, ensuring high standard of living of the people.