President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov has sent a congratulatory message to the participants of the XXIV International Universal Exhibition and Conference ‘White City Ashgabat’. This is reported by the state news agency TDH. Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasised that the event, timed to coincide with the City Day, was designed to present the achievements of the capital. The Head of State noted the special importance of the forum in the International Year of Peace and Trust, expressing confidence that it would become an important platform for demonstrating Ashgabat's potential and strengthening international cooperation. The President of Turkmenistan reminded that the exhibition annually reflects large-scale transformations in the capital, emphasising its dynamic development. Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted that Ashgabat is strengthening its status of one of the most beautiful and comfortable cities in the world, and its development is based on an innovative approach. The head of state also stressed the role of the capital as an important administrative, scientific and cultural centre. In conclusion, the President of Turkmenistan wished the participants good health, prosperity and success in their work for the further development of Ashgabat.
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a regular meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers via digital system on 23 May. This is reported by the state news agency TDH. First of all, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Hojamyrat Geldimyradov reported on the preparation of the draft law ‘On Virtual Assets’, which provides for legal regulation of activities in the field of digital assets and mining. Next, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Batyr Amanov presented information on geological exploration works carried out by the State Corporation ‘Türkmengeologiýa’. Oil and gas fields are being prospected in the western and southern regions of the country with the use of modern equipment. Next, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Tangryguly Atahalliyev reported on the progress of agricultural works in velayats. Agro-technical measures on cotton, vegetable and berry crops and wheat, as well as collection of silkworm cocoons and sowing of rice continue in the country. Then, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Nokerguly Atagulyyev reported on preparations for the international exhibition-fair ‘Turkmentextile Expo-2025’, which will be held in June in Ashgabat. The event will be attended by representatives of the textile industry, entrepreneurs and foreign companies. Next, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Bahar Seyidova presented the programme of cultural and festive events for June. Among them - celebrations for the International Children's Day, World Bicycle Day, Science Day, holidays of culture and poetry of Magtymguly Pyragy, as well as folklore festivals. Then, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Bayramgul Orazdurdyyeva reported on preparations for the World Bicycle Day. On 3 June in Ashgabat and other regions will be held mass bicycle rallies, sports competitions and educational activities. Next, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov reported on the results of the 18th meeting of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Iranian Commission on Economic Cooperation held in Tehran. Next, Director General of the Transport and Communications Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers Mammethan Chakyyev reported on measures to develop civil aviation, including modernisation of infrastructure and preparation for flight tests. Having heard the reports, the President of Turkmenistan gave a number of specific instructions to each participant of the meeting.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted talks between Deputy Foreign Minister Serdar Muhammetdurdyyev and a delegation of the International Monetary Fund headed by the head of the IMF mission on Turkmenistan Anna Rose Bordon on 23 May this year. This is reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. During the meeting, the sides reviewed the current state and prospects of cooperation, paying special attention to macroeconomic stability, structural reforms and technical assistance. The Turkmen side expressed gratitude for the methodological support provided by the IMF in the development of the country's economic policy. Special attention was paid to discussing the challenges associated with global economic instability, as well as the prospects of Turkmenistan's accession to the World Trade Organisation. The IMF representatives positively assessed Turkmenistan's efforts to ensure macroeconomic stability and expressed readiness for further constructive dialogue. In conclusion, the parties reaffirmed their mutual interest in deepening cooperation aimed at sustainable economic development and integration of Turkmenistan into the world economy.
On 23 May 2025, during the visit of the Turkmen delegation to China, the Chairman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan met with Vice-President of the People's Republic of China Han Zheng. The parties discussed key aspects of bilateral cooperation and international initiatives of Turkmenistan. This was reported by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Turkmenistan. The Chinese side highly appreciated the adoption of the UN resolution on the initiative of Turkmenistan to declare 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust, and reaffirmed support for the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan. It was noted that Turkmenistan's peace-loving policy promotes the development of equal co-operation with all countries. Particular attention was paid to the historical ties between the two countries dating back to the times of the Great Silk Road. Today, these relations, based on mutual respect and trust, are successfully developing in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres. Within the framework of the visit, the Turkmen delegation also held a meeting with the leadership of the Song Qingling Foundation, where the parties discussed the prospects of co-operation in the humanitarian sphere, including interaction with the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation.
On 22 May, a screening of the feature film ‘Magtymguly Pyragy’ was held in the building of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Islamabad. The event was organised for representatives of the Afghan Turkmen community living in Pakistan, the press service of the Turkmen diplomatic mission reported. According to the source, at the beginning of the meeting it was noted that the film, made in 2024 in honour of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the great poet, is the result of joint work of Turkmen and Uzbek cinematographers. The audience highly appreciated the level of the production and expressed admiration for the depth of disclosure of the historical epoch. The significance of the film as an important cultural project strengthening the spiritual bond between the peoples of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan was especially emphasised. The screening ended with a lively discussion, during which the guests expressed gratitude to the organisers for the opportunity to touch the cultural and spiritual history of the Turkmen people.
A delegation of Turkmenistan is taking part in the 34th session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at the UN Office in Vienna. This was reported by the press service of the Turkmen diplomatic mission in Austria. During the session, the Turkmen delegation outlined the key priorities of the national policy in the field of law enforcement. Special attention was paid to measures to counteract forms of transnational crime. The delegation emphasised Turkmenistan's commitment to deepen cooperation with international partners, in particular with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in order to strengthen both national and regional capacities to counter these threats. In addition, the delegation emphasised the importance of Turkmenistan's initiative, as a result of which the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 77/32 in 2023. The document notes the importance of international cooperation in combating transnational organized crime and terrorism, as well as the need to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate and prosecute new and traditional forms of crime. The source notes that the delegation concluded its statement by reaffirming Turkmenistan's continued commitment to the principles of multilateral cooperation and its active role in promoting international initiatives aimed at strengthening peace, security and justice.
As part of the working visit of the delegation of Turkmenistan led by Chairman of the Mejlis Dunyagozel Gulmanova to the People's Republic of China, the delegation held extended talks with Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji. This is reported by the press service of the national parliament. They discussed the prospects of cooperation in the format ‘Central Asia - China’, including the establishment of an inter-parliamentary council, holding thematic forums with the participation of women and youth, as well as the activation of the work of inter-parliamentary friendship groups. The parties stressed the importance of deepening the dialogue between the profile committees, young parliamentarians and women MPs of the two countries, as well as the organization of joint events contributing to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation. The Chinese side expressed interest in further expanding cooperation with Turkmenistan in the spheres of education, science, health and agriculture. Gulmanova expressed confidence that the meetings and talks would give an additional impetus to the development of the inter-parliamentary dialogue. She also invited Zhao Leji to take part in the international events planned in Turkmenistan on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the status of Permanent Neutrality, which will be celebrated in 2025, the International Year of Peace and Trust.
On 22 May 2025, a delegation of Turkmenistan headed by Chairman of the Mejlis Dunyagozel Gulmanova visited the Song Qingling Youth Scientific, Technical and Cultural Exchange Centre of the People's Republic of China, located in Beijing, during a working visit to the People's Republic of China. This was reported by the press service of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan. The delegation familiarised itself with the projects of the Song Qingling Foundation in the field of children's health care. In addition, the delegation noted the participation of Deputy Chairman of the Foundation Shen Bailey in the March conference in the city of Arkadag dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust and the 4th anniversary of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship. The Chinese side positively assessed the activities of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Foundation and expressed interest in expanding co-operation. The importance of parliamentary support for strengthening long-term Turkmen-Chinese ties was also emphasised.
Global News Forum 2025, an international forum organised by the Turkish Broadcasting Corporation (TRT) and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), is being held in Istanbul from 21 to 23 May. Turkmenistan is represented at the event by Deputy Chairman of the State Committee on Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography Annasahet Kakayev. This is reported by the IIC. On the first day of the forum, the achievements of Turkmen media were noted. The State Committee of Turkmenistan was among the leaders in the number of publications on the news platform ‘AsiaVision’, promptly covering key events and activities in the country. This confirms Turkmenistan's active position in international information exchange and commitment to the principles of reliable journalism. The second day of the forum was dedicated to modern media trends. The participants discussed the application of artificial intelligence in the news industry, the possibilities of social networks for information dissemination, as well as the issues of improving the quality of content and automation of work processes. These discussions are particularly relevant for the further development of Turkmenistan's media sphere.
On 22 May this year, a meeting of the UN Country Team in Turkmenistan was held in the format of a videoconference. The event was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, as well as heads of agencies and regional structures of the United Nations. This is reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The main topic of discussion was the priorities of cooperation for the new cycle of the UN Framework Programme on Sustainable Development for 2026-2030. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan highlighted the key areas of partnership, including peace and security, socio-economic development, achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), transport and energy cooperation and combating climate change. The participants discussed prospects for cooperation in such areas as sustainable development, ecology, humanitarian issues, protection of cultural heritage, as well as modernisation of education and healthcare systems. The UN representatives informed about the ongoing joint projects with Turkmenistan and presented their proposals on further strengthening of the partnership. At the end of the meeting, a schedule of forthcoming events and consultations was agreed upon.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Ahmet Gurbanov took part in the 1st session of Termez dialogue on strengthening ties between Central and South Asia on May 20. The event was held under the motto ‘Common Space of Peace, Friendship and Prosperity’. This is reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The forum was attended by heads of foreign ministries, experts from think tanks, representatives of financial institutions and international organisations. The main topics of discussion were issues of regional security and stability, prospects for sustainable development, expansion of private sector participation in economic cooperation. The Turkmen delegation presented initiatives to develop cooperation in transport and logistics, energy, economic and humanitarian spheres. Particular attention was paid to the significance of the International Year of Peace and Trust proclaimed at the initiative of Turkmenistan. The participants in the dialogue expressed confidence that the agreements reached would contribute to strengthening interregional ties and maintaining peace.
Turkmenistan's Education Minister Jumamyrat Gurbangeldiyev met with a delegation led by UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier in Ashgabat on 21 May. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. According to the source, during the talks Gurbangeldiyev emphasised the importance of the meeting for the development of international cooperation in the field of youth policy and education. F.Paullier expressed gratitude for the reception, noting that his visit to Turkmenistan was the first in Central Asia. He praised the activities of the Magtymguly Youth Organization and noted Turkmenistan's active role in promoting youth initiatives, including within the framework of the UN Central Asian Youth Dialogue. The guest also stressed the importance of involving youth in decision-making and expressed gratitude for cooperation with the UN. He congratulated Turkmenistan on the 30th anniversary of neutrality and wished further success. The Turkmen side noted that systematic work on the development of youth policy and its legal and regulatory support is underway in the country, important national documents are being adopted and international initiatives are being promoted. Turkmenistan's readiness to intensify cooperation with international structures in this sphere was emphasised, stressing the positive results of cooperation with the UN