On August 22, a trilateral meeting of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev was held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone in Turkmenistan. Berdimuhamedov emphasized that at present Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan demonstrate a
On August 11-12, celebratory events dedicated to the Day of the Caspian Sea were held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone in Turkmenistan. The Scientific-practical conference entitled “The Caspian Sea – Sea of Friendship and Peace” was moderated by the Director of the Caspian Sea Institute Myrat Atajanov. The event was attended by official representatives
On August 5, the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries opened in Awaza, Turkmenistan, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders under the theme “Driving Progress through Partnerships”. This landmark event aims to address the unique challenges faced by the world’s 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), home to over 600 million people, and accelerate
In a fresh move to strengthen transport cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, a major agreement and contract have been signed for the development and investment in Torghundi Port, TOLOnews reported. According to the agreement, the dry port of Torghundi in Afghanistan’s Herat province will be expanded with an initial investment of $5 million. The project
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, in close partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan, has officially concluded the project “Strengthening National Capacity for Seismic Risk Assessment, Prevention and Response to Potential Earthquakes,” marking a significant milestone in the country’s disaster risk reduction efforts, UNDP Turkmenistan reported. Spanning from 2018 to 2025, the project has played
Some thirty-five students from Turkmenistan’s institutions of higher education participated in an OSCE organized workshop entitled “Youth Negotiation on Climate, Security and Co-operation: OSCE Best Practices” that took place in Ashgabat on July 29. The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized this event to build practical negotiation and diplomacy skills of youth representatives who have been
The city of Ashgabat came alive on July 24 as the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan, in partnership with the State Library of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan, hosted a vibrant Book Fair that celebrated the power of literature and strengthened cultural ties between the United States and Turkmenistan, according to the embassy. The event
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in close partnership with the municipality of Ashgabat, and with the participation of the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan, organized an inception workshop as part of a regional project titled “Enhancing Urban Resilience to Disaster Risks and Climate Change in Central Asia”, funded by the Government of
On July 13, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held a meeting of the State Organizing Committee for the preparations for the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, which will be held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone from August 4 to 8.
On July 11, the EU and the countries of Central Asia — Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — held the 12th meeting of the annual High-Level Political and Security Dialogue, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The Dialogue took place in the context of increased engagement between Central Asia and the European Union, following up
The European Union and Turkmenistan held their seventeenth annual Human Rights Dialogue on 17 June in Brussels. According to the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan, discussions took place in an open and constructive atmosphere. The agenda contained a broad range of topics, including rule of law, fundamental freedoms, and gender equality. The EU
Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 17 called on China and Central Asian countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge ahead toward the goal of building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, Xinhua reported. Xi made the remarks in his keynote speech at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana
Late in May, the Library of the Mary Velayat (province) hosted a Book Fair organized by the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan, the Government of Turkmenistan, and Mary American Corner. The Book Fair featured an exhibit of English-Turkmen bilingual editions of American classics and an extensive American literature collection for children and young adults as well as
The 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Central Asia–India Dialogue was held in New Delhi on June 6. The meeting focused on main areas of partnership between the Central Asian countries and India, covering such fields as transport and logistics, regional cooperation, counter-terrorism, and the development of advanced technologies. The foreign ministers adopted a Joint Statement
US President Donald Trump on June 4 signed a proclamation resurrecting the travel ban from his first term, ordering a new ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Afghanistan and Iran, from entering the United States, RFE/RL reported. Trump said the travel ban is necessary to protect Americans from terrorist attacks such as a June
Afghanistan’s power company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) announced that discussions are ongoing with Turkmenistan over the roadmap to begin work on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) Power Transmission Project in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported. According to company officials, Turkmenistan has committed to implementing the project, and once completed, Afghanistan will annually receive between 300 to 350 megawatts
On 30 May 2025, the first Central Asia + Italy Summit was held in Astana with the participation of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni. The leaders exchanged views on
As the renewable energy sector in Central Asia grows, so does the need for a skilled and inclusive workforce to support it. In response, the OSCE and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) officially launched the OSCE Regional Task Force on Education for Just and Inclusive Energy Transition (RTEET) in Central Asia with a kick-off
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Institute, and the London Stock Exchange Group have published a joint report, “The Future of Islamic Finance in Central Asia”. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current status and prospects of Islamic finance in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. According to the
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union are boosting access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Central Asia and Mongolia. According to the EBRD, an additional €25 million in EU guarantees will be made available to local partner financial institutions for on-lending to this business segment.
