The Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan has announced an international tender for the reconstruction of Ankara Street in Ashgabat. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal, citing the newspaper ‘Neutral Turkmenistan’. Applications from companies and organisations are being accepted through the Ministry's Marketing and Foreign Economic Relations Department. The deadline for submitting documents is 8 October 2025, address: Ashgabat, Archabil avenue, 84.
The Uly (Greater) and Kiçi (Lesser) Balkhan mountains in western Turkmenistan will be designated as protected areas. The new reserve will be created with its core in Uly Balkhan and nature reserves in Kiçi Balkhan and Southern Ustyurt. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The idea of protecting the Balkhan Mountains was first proposed in the 19th century after Grigory Karelin's expedition. Later, the region was studied by zoologists Mikhail Laptev and Geldi Shukurov. Modern research has confirmed the need to protect this unique ecosystem, which has been damaged by livestock grazing. According to scientists, the area is home to two species of amphibians, 28 species of reptiles, 174 species of birds and 45 species of mammals. These include the Central Asian leopard, bezoar goats, mountain rams, manuls and Turkmen caracals. However, the reduction in vegetation and food sources has led to the disappearance of a number of rare birds and a decline in the numbers of other species. The creation of the reserve will be part of Turkmenistan's National Forest Programme. At the same time, there are plans to expand the network of specially protected areas in the Dashoguz and Lebap velayats.
The Uly (Greater) and Kiçi (Lesser) Balkhan mountains in western Turkmenistan will be designated as protected areas. The new reserve will be created with its core in Uly Balkhan and nature reserves in Kiçi Balkhan and Southern Ustyurt. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The idea of protecting the Balkhan Mountains was first proposed in the 19th century after Grigory Karelin's expedition. Later, the region was studied by zoologists Mikhail Laptev and Geldi Shukurov. Modern research has confirmed the need to protect this unique ecosystem, which has been damaged by livestock grazing. According to scientists, the area is home to two species of amphibians, 28 species of reptiles, 174 species of birds and 45 species of mammals. These include the Central Asian leopard, bezoar goats, mountain rams, manuls and Turkmen caracals. However, the reduction in vegetation and food sources has led to the disappearance of a number of rare birds and a decline in the numbers of other species. The creation of the reserve will be part of Turkmenistan's National Forest Programme. At the same time, there are plans to expand the network of specially protected areas in the Dashoguz and Lebap velayats.
Teachers and students at the Yagshygeldi Kakayev International Oil and Gas University presented the ‘Antiplagiat’ (‘Anti-plagiarism’) software. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal with reference to the ‘Turkmenistan’ newspaper. This software is capable of analysing texts in Turkmen and other languages. The development has been certified by the State Intellectual Property Service of Turkmenistan. In addition, young researchers have created a programme for calculating energy consumption, which allows the operation of lighting devices to be controlled without expensive sensors and computing devices.
From 20 August 2025, citizens of Turkmenistan will no longer need to make an appointment in advance to submit documents for a student visa to Turkey, according to the IIC of Turkmenistan. To apply for a visa, you must provide a letter of admission from a Turkish university or other document confirming your student status. This innovation is intended to simplify and speed up the visa application process, making it more convenient for applicants from Turkmenistan. There are currently 209 universities in Turkey offering more than 45,000 educational programmes to foreign students.
Sustainable urban development will be one of the key topics at the TIF-2025 International Investment Forum in Ashgabat, which will take place on 18-19 September. The city of Arkadag will be presented as an example of an environmentally-friendly ‘smart’ city in Central Asia, according to the news agency Orient. The city of Arkadag was built from scratch according to the principles of sustainable development: energy-efficient solutions, digital urban infrastructure management systems and minimal impact on nature are used. The city has automated lighting, transport, utilities and security systems, actively uses renewable energy sources, including solar panels, and has created infrastructure for low-carbon transport. The city demonstrates the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and shows how investments in ‘green’ infrastructure and innovation contribute to social, economic and environmental sustainability. The forum will feature a panel discussion with international experts, developers and financial institutions, where Arkadag's experience will be discussed as a possible model for the entire region. TIF-2025 will serve as a platform for studying successful examples of sustainable urban development and discussing prospects for international cooperation.
A meeting between Turkmenistan's Ambassador to Belgium Sapar Palvanov and Ilham Rzayev, Marketing Manager of the English-language publication ‘The Brussels Times’, took place in Brussels. The negotiations focused on prospects for developing media cooperation and implementing joint information projects. This was reported by the online publication AsmanNews. The Ambassador spoke in detail about the work of the diplomatic mission, paying particular attention to the role of public diplomacy in promoting Turkmenistan's foreign policy priorities. It was noted that the embassy regularly organises briefings and meetings with media representatives, ensuring open access to information on the country's domestic and foreign policy. The rich cultural heritage of Turkmenistan, its peacekeeping initiatives and modern achievements became key topics for future publications. The parties paid special attention to the coverage of the principles of permanent neutrality, good-neighbourliness and sustainable development, as well as Turkmenistan's activity at the UN. At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed mutual interest in strengthening cooperation. Ambassador S. Palvanov emphasised his readiness for productive interaction with international media interested in objective coverage of various aspects of life in Turkmenistan.
At the end of July 2025, the latest issue of the electronic magazine ‘Arkadagly Ýaşlar’, published by the Magtymguly Youth Organisation of Turkmenistan, was released. The issue opens with materials dedicated to the upcoming Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Avaza. This was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The issue pays special attention to educational topics – the publications telling about the admission campaign to universities and the atmosphere at the beginning of the academic year. Readers are offered informative materials on the development of the construction industry in Turkmenistan, the cultural heritage of the dutar and Ahal-Teke horses, as well as scientific articles by young researchers. The literary section of the issue includes poetry and the continuation of excerpts from the book ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’. Travellers will enjoy an article about the most beautiful airports in the world, while cooking enthusiasts will appreciate a recipe for homemade fruit ice cream. As is tradition, the magazine presents the new winner of the ‘Ýaş waspçy’ competition and reminds readers that applications are still being accepted for the Turkmenistan Youth Prize.
More than 300 students from Turkmenistan's universities are participating in preparations for the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC 3), which will be held in the ‘Avaza’ National Tourist Zone. This was reported by the news agency Orient. Volunteers selected from universities across the country are undergoing training to perform various tasks, including interpreting, accompanying delegations, protocol support and working with the media. Among them are student journalists, for whom the forum is an opportunity to put their knowledge into practice. The volunteers were prepared to speak in different languages. The training lasted the entire academic year and included studying geography, international protocol, public speaking skills and the specifics of receiving foreign guests, taking into account national traditions. The Ministry of Textile Industry has produced uniforms in the national style for the volunteers, as well as separate sets for cameramen, medics and other specialists. Last week, special classes for participants were held at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Some of the volunteers are already working at ‘Avaza’, actively participating in the organisation of the forum, which is being prepared within the framework of LLDC 3. Turkmenistan aims to hold the event at a high level with the participation of the country's best students.
A cub of the caracal, a rare cat species native to southern and Central Asia, has been spotted in Turkmenistan for the first time. This was reported by the online publication ‘Business Turkmenistan’. This may indicate the successful reproduction of the species at the northern border of its range and the stability of the local population. The exact number of caracals in the region remains unknown. Scientific programmes are being implemented to study their ecology and distribution in Turkmenistan, with support from, among others, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. The organisation assists with monitoring the species, which contributes to a better understanding of the population status in the region. The caracal, also known as the steppe lynx, is distinguished by tufts on its ears and its secretive behaviour. It plays an important role in regulating the population of small animals and serves as an ecological indicator.
An event was held in Astana to highlight the strong inter-state ties with Turkmenistan. For two days, the logo ‘2025 - International Year of Peace and Trust’ was displayed on a large screen installed on the city's central embankment. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The event was initiated by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Kazakhstan. The event was timed to coincide with two significant occasions: the UN decision to declare 2025 the Year of Peace and Trust, and the upcoming 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality. The display of symbols in one of the central spaces of Astana demonstrates Kazakhstan's support for Turkmenistan's peaceful foreign policy initiatives and testifies to the friendly relations between the two countries. This event reflects the high level of cooperation based on strategic partnership and mutual trust.
In Turkmenistan, as part of the state digitalisation programme, an interdepartmental electronic data exchange system based on the Estonian X-Road platform has been launched. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. 10 ministries and departments, as well as 12 state electronic services, are connected to the system. The project is being implemented under an agreement between the Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan and UNDP. The contractor is the Estonian company ‘Nortal AS’. The X-Road platform, installed on the basis of the telecommunications company ‘Turkmentelecom’, complies with cybersecurity standards. Security servers have been deployed for its operation. As part of the project, 75 specialists have been trained in the platform, network technologies and programming languages, and all have received certificates. The system simplifies data exchange between agencies, expands access to public services and contributes to the development of the ‘e-government system’.