A two-day meeting of representatives of the Railways of the Islamic Republic of Iran, national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), Russian Railways, and Turkmenistan’s railway company Turkmendemiryollary ended in Almaty on January 30. According to KTZ, the meeting summed up the results of railway cargo transportation across the territory of Kazakhstan via the Bolashak
The first trilateral meeting, attended by representatives from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and a Turkish company, was held in Kabul to initiate the practical implementation of the TAP-500 electricity project, TOLOnews reported. The TAP-500 project aims to transfer high-voltage electricity from Turkmenistan to Pakistan through the Afghan provinces of Herat, Farah, Helmand, and Kandahar. According to the
On January 24, the European Union Delegation to Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan held a joint press conference to reflect on their partnership in 2024 and outline strategic priorities for the year ahead, the EU Delegation reported. Ms. Beata Peksa, Ambassador of the European Union to Turkmenistan, expressed her gratitude to
On January 15, a conference entitled “International Year of Peace and Trust: Cooperation of Turkmenistan with the International Community” was held at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The event was attended by parliament and government members, heads of diplomatic missions and representative offices of international organizations accredited
The Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with technical assistance from the Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, successfully conducted the National Survey on Micronutrients, UNICEF reported on January 7. This comprehensive survey assessed the prevalence of various forms of micronutrient deficiencies and risk factors among women and children
The Government of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed the new TB grant “Exit of the National Tuberculosis Program of Turkmenistan from the Global Fund.” The project, set to run from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2027, is supported by a total budget of more than $6.2 million contributed by
On December 15, the European Union Delegation in Turkmenistan hosted an annual open-air Christmas Book Fair. The event, held in the Delegation’s front yard, brought together the local community to enjoy books, charity, and holiday cheer. The fair attracted a large crowd who browsed a wide selection of books from popular Ashgabat bookstores. Particularly popular
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Institute, and the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), in the spirit of promoting Islamic Finance in Central Asia, have held a panel discussion, “Bridging the Capital Road: CIS & GCC,” as part of the Islamic Banking program at Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW). This panel highlighted the transformative
Afghanistan’s National Development Company says that Phase 2 of the Qoshtepa Canal construction project is 81% complete, TOLOnews reported. Nabiullah Arghandiwal, spokesperson for the National Development Company, said: “The construction process is progressing rapidly with advanced machinery and work teams. The embankments of the canal are also 67% complete, and all work is being carried
From 30 November to 1 December, the Regional Consultative Meeting of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to discuss the establishment of the United Nations Special Programme for the Aral Sea Basin (UNSPAS) was held in Ashgabat. The proposal to establish the UN Special Programme for the Aral Sea Basin
The European Film Festival, held as part of the European Union Culture Days in Ashgabat, concluded this week. The festival, implemented in collaboration with the “European Film Festival” Project, the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, the Embassy of France, and the French Institute in Turkmenistan, opened with the animated film Icarus and the Minotaur, which
The Days of European Culture commenced in Ashgabat on November 18, organized by the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, European Union Member States, including the Embassy of Germany and the Embassy of France in Turkmenistan, and the French Institute in Turkmenistan. From 18 to
Soltan Achilova, a veteran journalist and former RFE/RL correspondent in Turkmenistan, was forcibly hospitalized in Ashgabat on November 20 in what appears to be a move by the government to prevent her from flying to Geneva to receive an international award, RFE/RL’s Current Time reported. According to the Chronicle of Turkmenistan website, four men in medical gowns
Turkmenistan remains the only state in Central Asia with no free economic zones operating in the country. Although the Law on Free Economic Zones (FEZs) was enacted in Turkmenistan in October 2017, no free economic zones are known to be in operation, according to the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Investment Climate Statements: Turkmenistan. The
On October 24, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution “Zone of Peace, Trust and Cooperation of Central Asia,” initiated by Turkmenistan, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said. Presenting the resolution, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN A. Atayeva expressed gratitude to the UN Member States for supporting the draft resolution initiated by Turkmenistan, as
On October 11, Ashgabat hosted an international conference, entitled “Interconnection of Times and Civilizations – the Basis of Peace and Development,” celebrating the 300th anniversary of the great Turkmen poet and thinker Magtymguly Pyragy (1724-1807). The high-level forum was attended by President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian,
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Turkmenistan on an official visit on October 10. At the International Airport of Ashgabat, the Kazakh leader was welcomed by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. President Tokayev held talks with his Turkmen counterpart, Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Tokayev emphasized
The Turkish Ministry of National Education has announced changes to the history curriculum — the term “Central Asia” will be replaced with “Turkestan”. This was reported by the official website of Turkey’s TRT television and radio company. The report cites Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who emphasized the importance of the unity of the Turkic
Authorities in Turkmenistan have begun confiscating the passports of individuals trying to leave the country if they have outstanding bank loans, RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service reported. The move is seen as a major blow to many who are migrant workers heading abroad to earn badly needed cash to send home. RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service reports that authorities
The European Union and Turkmenistan held a high-level event on October 3 in Ashgabat that launched the Coordination Platform of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. This Corridor aims to strengthen connectivity by developing transport routes between Central Asia and the European Union. The event brought together the European Union, representatives of the countries along the Trans
