Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan R. Meredov, speaking at the World Government Summit, voiced Ashgabat’s initiative to develop a Global Framework for the Transition to a Circular Economy based on the priorities of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

With the world's rapidly growing population and the current volume of municipal solid waste, the main task of national governments is to manage available natural resources while minimizing the impact on the environment, according to the country's foreign policy chief.

The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan noted that this requires consolidation of efforts and approaches at the interstate level, which will allow the circular economy to be considered not just as a concept, but as a collective action for a global structural transition to savings-based consumption models to maintain sustainable development for future generations.

«In this regard, Turkmenistan proposes to develop a Global Framework for the Transition to a Circular Economy based on the priorities of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development», emphasized R. Meredov.

According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, such a framework would likely consist of four key elements: common standard indicators and reporting, international cooperation on critical resources, the creation of a Global Innovation Fund for Circular Technologies, and capacity building and also exchange of knowledge in this area.

The head of the Turkmen Foreign Ministry also noted that empowering developing countries through the exchange of experience and development of national competencies should ensure their equal participation in global processes of building a circular economy.