Being committed to the principle of “Dialogue is a guarantee of peace”, Turkmenistan, under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, is successfully implementing the open door, neutrality, peacefulness and good neighborliness policy. The multi-vector work of ministries and departments, carried out last month, aimed at expanding cooperation with foreign partners – meetings, political consultations, business negotiations and forums – a vivid example of this.
On September 1, in Arkadag city, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov met with the Secretary General of the Qatar Equestrian Federation Sheikh Ahmad bin Nooh Al-Thani and the President of the Eurasian Equestrian Association M. Sechina, who arrived in our country to participate in the ceremonial events on the occasion of the Day of Knowledge and Student Youth.
Having presented the International Academy of Horse Breeding named after Aba Annaev from the Asian Equestrian Federation and from the Eurasian Equestrian Association with Honorary Certificates as the first International Academy of Horse Breeding and Equestrian Sports in the region, which has the best capabilities and advantages in training highly qualified specialists, the guests noted the great opportunities available for increasing interaction in horse breeding and equestrian sports.
On September 4, during the visit of the Turkmen delegation to the French Republic in Paris, a meeting was held with the Diplomatic Adviser to the President of France for Continental Europe, Türkiye and the Balkans Bertrand Buchwalter.
The parties exchanged views on the development of bilateral partnership in a wide range of areas, both in a bilateral format and within international structures.
On the same day, the delegation of Turkmenistan took part in the Business meeting of French companies that are part of the MEDEF-International International Association of France, which touched upon the topic of expanding interstate cooperation in trade, economics, electricity, agriculture, transport and communications, oil and gas industry, medical industry and pharmaceuticals, etc.
Issues of intensifying bilateral political and diplomatic relations were discussed on September 5 in Paris at an official meeting with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Catherine Colonna.
Following the meeting, the heads of the foreign ministries of the two countries signed: a Memorandum of Cooperation in Education; Cooperation Program between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France for 2024–2026; Declaration of Friendly Agreement on twinning between Arkadag and Maisons-Laffitte cities; Agreement on Cooperation between the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of Turkmenistan and UBAF.
The importance of exhibition activities in the development of trade, economic and foreign economic relations, as well as in strengthening the economic potential of the country was emphasized at a meeting held on September 5 in Paris with the Secretary General of the International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) Dimitri Kerkentzes.
During the negotiations that took place on the same day with UNESCO Deputy Director General Xing Qu, current issues of partnership were discussed in the context of joint activities aimed at popularizing the rich spiritual heritage of the Turkmen people, active interaction in education, science, ecology and nature conservation.
The parties also outlined a plan for holding joint events on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s accession to UNESCO and the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Fraghi.
The prospects for deepening traditional Turkmen-Japanese cooperation became the main topic of discussion at the September 5 meeting between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the President of the University of Tsukuba (Japan) Nagata Kyosuke.
On September 7, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan held an online meeting with the Special Representative of the European Union for Afghanistan, Thomas Niklasson, at which the parties exchanged views on the socio-political and economic situation in Afghanistan, as well as further partnership within the framework of regional and international formats on Afghanistan, aimed at resolving the situation in this country.
On September 8, political consultations between the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam were held via videoconferencing.
During the negotiations, the prospects for expanding Turkmen-Vietnamese contacts in the political-diplomatic, trade-economic, cultural and humanitarian fields were discussed, and effective interaction was stated within the framework of international and regional organizations, primarily the UN.
On the same day, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with representatives of the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) Katya Schaefer and Herman Pienaar.
The parties agreed to jointly develop a Cooperation Roadmap. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of opening a UN-Habitat office in Turkmenistan.
On September 8, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Director General of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (UAE), Nikolai Mladenov.
It was emphasized the importance of interaction with the Academy, including the possibility of developing and further signing a Roadmap for cooperation between the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Diplomatic Academy, introducing the practice of student exchange, organizing diplomatic courses for young diplomats, as well as participating in joint educational projects and programs.
On the same day, negotiations were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the UNFPA’s Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Florence Bauer, who arrived in our country to participate in a conference dedicated to discussing the achievements of Turkmenistan in the implementation of the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+30). ).
The effectiveness of the dialogue between Turkmenistan and UNFPA in a number of areas within the framework of the Country Cooperation Program for 2021–2025, as well as in youth policy, was identified. Successful joint work on gender equality, reproductive health and family planning was emphasized.
A powerful impetus for the further development of traditional Turkmen-Russian relations, being strategic and multifaceted in nature, was given by the September 11 meeting of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, as well as the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Governor of St. Petersburg (Russian Federation) Alexander Beglov, arrived in our country.
During the meeting held on September 11 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Deputy Head of the Chinese Agency for International Development and Cooperation Deng Boqing, it was noted the positive dynamics of Turkmen-Chinese interaction in many areas, including in the oil and gas sector, education, culture, healthcare, as well as cooperation within international organizations.
On September 11–13, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted the sixth meeting of the High-Level Working Group on Caspian Sea Issues, which was attended by delegations of five Caspian states – Turkmenistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation.
The parties discussed topical issues of the Caspian Sea, in particular, draft agreements. Following the event, a Communiqué was adopted.
At the Turkmen-Singapore inter-Ministry of Foreign Affairs consultations, held on September 13 in a videoconference format, the importance of building up mutually beneficial contacts in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as partnerships within international and regional organizations, primarily the UN, was noted.
An agreement was reached on regular political consultations and the organization of mutual visits at the highest level and at the level of heads of relevant ministries and departments, including business forums.
On September 13, on the eve of the fifth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the next meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Founders of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) in Dushanbe (Republic of Tajikistan), a Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Central Asian States was held, at which special attention was paid to the main issues agenda of the Dushanbe summit meetings.
The need to further build up regional potential in the transport and logistics sector and its optimal implementation was noted at the first meeting of the ministers of transport of the Central Asian states, held on the same day in Dushanbe.
As the speakers emphasized, there are great opportunities for comprehensively deepening interaction between the states of the region in this sector. As a result of the multilateral meeting, a Joint Communiqué was adopted, and the draft Agreement “On strengthening the interconnectedness of land transport in Central Asia” was approved.
The program of events with the participation of delegations from countries in the region also included specialized meetings in education, science, youth policy, volunteer movement, and sports.
The delegation of our country took part in the meeting held in Dushanbe in the format of the Women’s Dialogue of Central Asia, the main topic of which was the role of women in strengthening interstate cooperation, developing socio-economic ties and humanitarian and cultural contacts.
On September 14, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who visited the Republic of Tajikistan at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon, was solemnly presented with the Badge of Honor of the Heads of State of Central Asia.
As the President of the Republic of Tajikistan noted, the National Leader of the Turkmen people has made and continues to make a huge contribution to strengthening relations of fraternal friendship between the Central Asian countries, particularly strengthening security and stability in the region, for many years resolutely and confidently defending the sovereignty and independence of fraternal Turkmenistan.
Representatives of the relevant ministries and departments of Turkmenistan took part at the economic forum organized on the same day in the Tajik capital on the topic “Digital economy, e-commerce and innovation,” to consider priority issues of interaction between Central Asian states in various sectors.
Members of the Turkmen delegation also held bilateral meetings with Tajik colleagues. The subject of interesting discussion and exchange of views was the prospects for partnership in various fields.
On September 17–19, the Turkmen delegation to the Republic of Korea took part in the first Turkmen-Korean inter-parliamentary consultations.
During the visit, meetings were also held with the head of the Korea-Turkmenistan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Lee Dal-gon, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Kim Jin-pyo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Han Duck-Soo, during which the positive dynamics of the development of bilateral relations in various directions. Particular attention was paid to the prospects for the participation of Korean companies in the implementation of industrial projects in Arkadag city.
On September 19, the parliamentary delegation of Turkmenistan took part in the First Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments “Central Asia–Republic of Korea” in Seoul. The meeting participants stated that the current format of cooperation is a good opportunity to strengthen contacts between states in the areas of energy, infrastructure, water resources management, industrial diversification, finance, education, healthcare, tourism, as well as digital transformation.
As a result of the meeting, a Joint Declaration was adopted, according to which the parties reached an agreement to hold the second Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea in 2024 in Ashgabat.
On September 20, during the 45th extended session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), a unanimous decision was made to include in the UNESCO World Heritage List the proposal of Turkmenistan together with the Republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan – “The Great Silk Road: Zarafshan- Karakum Corridor”, as well as Turkmenistan together with the Republics of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – “Turanian Deserts of the Temperate Zone” and at the same time, the Bereketli Garagum, Gaplaňgyr State Nature Reserves, the Repetek State Biosphere Reserve and the Ýerajy desert ecosystems of its reserve, which significantly expanded the boundaries of cultural partnership and further increased the international authority of our state.
On September 26, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held negotiations with the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Kunio Mikuriya, who was visiting our country.
The parties discussed prospects for further cooperation in the context of improving customs activities, ensuring the safety of cross-border movement of goods, developing regional and international trade, as well as successful interaction within the framework of international and regional meetings, conferences and consultations.
The possibilities for further development of mutually beneficial partnership were argued during the meetings of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with the President of the Agriculture Division of the John Deere American company Mark von Pentz, Chairman of the CLAAS joint stock company (Germany), on September 26, Chairman of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy Cathrina Claas-Mühlhäuser, General Director of the Bouygues group of companies Martin Bouygues, with Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation Rustam Minnikhanov, who arrived in our country to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of Independence Day of Turkmenistan.
At the meeting held on September 28 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the delegation of the Gulistan velayat of the Islamic Republic of Iran, it was noted the importance of the consistent development of mutually beneficial bilateral contacts, as well as cooperation between Balkan velayat of Turkmenistan and Gulistan velayat of Iran in the trade, economic, transport, transit and cultural-humanitarian spheres.
On September 29, being on a working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in a meeting of the heads of delegations of the states of Central Asia and Germany, where the importance of interaction in the “Central Asia + Germany” format, the potential of which was noted, can be effectively used in the context of maintaining regional peace and stability, and the successful integration of Central Asia into modern world processes.
As part of his visit to Germany, Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the Turkmen-German business forum, and also held bilateral meetings with Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and Deputy Federal Chancellor of Germany, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck.
Last month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received newly appointed Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkmenistan – New Zealand, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the Kingdom of Spain. At the meetings, parties thoroughly exchanged views on a wide range of partnership issues in both bilateral and multilateral formats, primarily on the platform of the largest and most authoritative international organizations.
Thus, the events of last September became another evidence of the successful implementation of the important tasks outlined by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to realize Turkmenistan’s peace-loving foreign policy, which is actively developing constructive international dialogue in the interests of general well-being and progress.