Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has stated that the country is ready to assume the chairmanship of the CIS in 2028. Ilham Aliyev made this announcement at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in a restricted format, held in Awaza, according to IIC of Turkmenistan. Ilham Aliyev thanked the participants for their support of Azerbaijan’s co-chairmanship of the Commonwealth in 2027, noting that this demonstrates the trust placed in the country. Should it assume the chairmanship in 2028, Azerbaijan plans to host a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in the autumn.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, speaking at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State, highlighted the significance of the 1991 Almaty Declaration for the development of inter-state relations based on the recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia and Azerbaijan had achieved peace due to many years of effort. As evidence of this, Pashinyan pointed to the mutual renunciation of territorial claims, the initialling of a peace agreement and the completion of the demarcation of a section of the border. According to the Prime Minister of Armenia, the strengthening of stability in the region is already contributing to the development of transport links and mutual trade. He noted the cessation of incidents and the resumption of rail freight transport.
A meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), marking the organisation’s 35th anniversary, has begun at the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone. Opening the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, congratulated the participants on the Independence Day of the Republic of Tajikistan and conveyed his best wishes to the leadership and peoples of the CIS countries, according to IIC of Turkmenistan. The Head of State highlighted the role of the Commonwealth as a platform for political dialogue, as well as trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation. The President of Turkmenistan emphasised that cooperation between the countries is based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and consideration of common interests. Serdar Berdimuhamedov also highlighted the positive trend in total trade turnover and the expansion of trade and economic ties. Among the priority areas for cooperation, he highlighted inter-parliamentary contacts, cultural and humanitarian exchanges, science, education, sport and tourism. According to the President of Turkmenistan, multilateral dialogue within the CIS helps to build trust between nations and enhance the Commonwealth’s international standing.
On October 8, at the Eighth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov proposed establishing mechanisms for six-party cooperation in the political, economic, technological and humanitarian spheres. This was reported by the TDH news agency. The Head of State noted that Azerbaijan’s accession to the format was a natural outcome of the development of relations between the countries. According to Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the expansion of cooperation opens up opportunities for strengthening trade links, transport connectivity and energy cooperation. Among the priorities, the President of Turkmenistan cited the strengthening of regional security, the development of political and diplomatic dialogue, the expansion of investment and industrial cooperation, as well as the introduction of modern technologies and artificial intelligence. Serdar Berdimuhamedov proposed holding regular six-party consultations between the foreign ministries and establishing a mechanism for cooperation to increase trade between the countries. The Head of State paid particular attention to the ‘East–West’ and ‘North–South’ transport corridors. He emphasised the importance of the ‘Central Asia–Caspian Sea–South Caucasus–Europe’ route and stated Turkmenistan’s readiness to make Caspian infrastructure available for joint projects. In the energy sector, Serdar Berdimuhamedov advocated the development not only of pipeline routes but also of electricity supplies, as well as the establishment of sustainable links between the power systems of the region’s countries. The Head of Turkmenistan also proposed expanding industrial cooperation, developing the processing of agricultural produce, establishing export-oriented agro-industrial complexes, and removing transport, customs and tariff barriers. Speaking on technological development, the President of Turkmenistan highlighted the prospects of attracting foreign high-tech companies to joint projects based at the region’s Hi-Tech centres. In this context, he mentioned the ‘Smart Cities Diplomacy’ initiative. Serdar Berdimuhamedov also called for the strengthening of humanitarian, cultural and educational ties, emphasising the shared historical and civilisational heritage of the region’s peoples. Furthermore, the President of Turkmenistan recalled his country’s initiative to declare 2028 the Year of International Law and expressed hope that it would receive support.
On 8 October, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, held a meeting with the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, who had arrived at the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone to take part in a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State. This was reported by the TDH news agency. The parties discussed the development of bilateral relations, trade and economic cooperation, and cultural and humanitarian ties. Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted the constructive interaction between the two countries in international forums, particularly at the UN, and emphasised the importance of mutual support for initiatives aimed at strengthening peace and sustainable development. Among the priorities for cooperation are the intensification of political dialogue, the work of the Turkmen-Armenian Inter-governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, and the implementation of joint projects. Turkmenistan also reaffirmed its readiness to expand cooperation in the energy, logistics and humanitarian sectors. To strengthen cultural ties, plans include holding Culture Days, themed exhibitions and joint academic forums. Nikol Pashinyan expressed his gratitude for the invitation and hospitality, noting the significance of holding the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in Turkmenistan. He also conveyed greetings from the President of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan. Following the meeting, the parties expressed their confidence in the further development of bilateral cooperation.
On October 8, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov met at the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone with the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, who had arrived to take part in international events. This was reported by the news agency TDH. Serdar Berdimuhamedov thanked the Tajik Head of State for taking part in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS. The Turkmen Head of State noted the importance of regular political dialogue and expressed his confidence that the visit would help to strengthen bilateral relations. Emomali Rahmon expressed his gratitude for the reception and congratulated the Turkmen side on the successful organisation of the Consultative Meeting. The President of Tajikistan also conveyed his regards to the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The parties discussed prospects for cooperation in the political, trade and economic, transport and transit, and energy sectors. Particular attention was paid to increasing mutual trade, developing business contacts and making effective use of the two countries’ transit potential. The interlocutors also noted the importance of cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and other international organisations, as well as the expansion of ties in the fields of culture, education, science and sport. At the conclusion of the meeting, Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Emomali Rahmon reaffirmed the readiness of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan to further develop their multifaceted cooperation.
On 8 October, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, met at the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone with the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sadyr Japarov, who had arrived to take part in high-level international events. This was reported by the news agency TDH. Serdar Berdimuhamedov thanked his Kyrgyz counterpart for taking part in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS. The Head of State noted the importance of these events for the development of regional cooperation. Sadyr Japarov expressed his gratitude for the hospitality and congratulated Serdar Berdimuhamedov on hosting the Consultative Meeting. The President of the Kyrgyz Republic also conveyed his regards to the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The parties discussed the development of bilateral relations and cooperation within the framework of the UN, the CIS and other international organisations. Serdar Berdimuhamedov also recalled the July meeting in Cholpon-Ata and thanked the Kyrgyz side for their hospitality. Particular attention was paid to trade and economic cooperation. Energy, transport, the oil and gas industry and agriculture were identified as promising areas. The parties also noted opportunities for expanding mutual trade, attracting investment, implementing joint projects and developing direct business contacts. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Heads of State reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the partnership and wished the peoples of both countries well-being and prosperity.
On October 8, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov met with President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone, who arrived to participate in high-level international events, according to the TDH news agency. Serdar Berdimuhamedov thanked his Kazakhstani counterpart for taking part in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS, and the Caspian Environmental Summit. The President of Turkmenistan noted the importance of these events for the development of regional cooperation. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his gratitude for the hospitality and congratulated Serdar Berdimuhamedov on hosting the summit. The President of Turkmenistan also conveyed his regards to the National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The parties discussed the development of Turkmen-Kazakh relations and cooperation within international organisations, including the UN, the OSCE and the ECO. Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed his gratitude to Kazakhstan for its support of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy, which is based on the principles of positive neutrality. Particular attention was paid to the trade and economic partnership, including cooperation in the fields of energy, transport and logistics. The parties also noted the importance of humanitarian ties and exchanges in the fields of culture, science and education. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Heads of State exchanged wishes for the well-being and prosperity of the peoples of both countries.
On 8 October, at the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, met with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, who had arrived in the country to take part in high-level international events. This was reported by the news agency TDH. Serdar Berdimuhamedov thanked his Russian counterpart for taking part in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Caspian Environmental Summit. The President of Turkmenistan noted the significance of these events for regional cooperation and expressed his confidence that Vladimir Putin’s visit would help to strengthen bilateral ties. Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude for the invitation and hospitality, emphasising the importance of the meetings in ‘Awaza’. The President of the Russian Federation also conveyed his regards to the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan. The parties noted the strategic nature of Turkmen-Russian relations and the broad scope of their cooperation. Particular attention was paid to political and diplomatic dialogue, trade and economic partnership, and cooperation with the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The importance of cultural and humanitarian ties was also emphasised, including cooperation in the fields of education, healthcare, science and culture. Serdar Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s readiness to further expand its multifaceted cooperation with Russia. At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties wished each other success in their state affairs and expressed their hopes for the well-being and prosperity of the peoples of both countries.
On 8 October, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, met with the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who had arrived at the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone to take part in high-level international events. This was reported by the news agency TDH. Serdar Berdimuhamedov thanked the Uzbek leader for taking part in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the CIS. Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated the President of Turkmenistan on the successful holding of the Consultative Meeting and conveyed his regards to the Hero Arkadag. The parties discussed the development of Turkmen-Uzbek cooperation, noting the strategic nature of bilateral relations and their shared historical, cultural and spiritual ties. The trade and economic sphere, transport and logistics, as well as cultural and humanitarian ties, were identified as priority areas for cooperation. As an example of the development of economic cooperation, Serdar Berdimuhamedov highlighted the opening of the Turkmen-Uzbek cross-border trade zone in November 2025. The Presidents also emphasised the importance of cooperation within the framework of the UN, the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including mutual support for the two countries’ initiatives. Following the meeting, Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed an Agreement on the Establishment of the Supreme Council for Strategic Partnership between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.
On 8 October 2026, a meeting took place in the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone between B. Myradova, Chairwoman of the Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Policy of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, and members of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey. This was reported by the press office of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan. The parties discussed the development of parliamentary cooperation and highlighted the role of parliamentary friendship groups in exchanging experience in the field of law-making. During the meeting, they also reviewed political and diplomatic, trade and economic, and cultural and humanitarian relations between the two countries, as well as issues relating to strengthening mutual trust and expanding cooperation. The Turkish side expressed its gratitude for the organisation of international events at ‘Awaza’, including the International Women’s Dialogue ‘The Role of Women in Maintaining Peace and Achieving Sustainable Development’, the Second International Conference on ‘Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals’, and the International Conference on ‘Demographic Processes and Sustainable Development: Contemporary Challenges and International Experience’. Particular mention was made of the significance of the UN General Assembly resolution ‘2028 – International Year of International Law’, adopted on the initiative of Turkmenistan, for strengthening international law, ensuring peace and security, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering multilateral cooperation.
The President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, has proposed the creation of a single e-commerce platform for the countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan. The initiative was announced on 8 October at the eighth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone in Turkmenistan, reports Turkmenportal. According to the Kyrgyz proposal, the platform would expand access for businesses and consumers to products from countries in the region and create additional opportunities for their promotion. The development of e-commerce must be accompanied by the creation of appropriate logistical infrastructure, including delivery, warehousing, customs clearance and the tracking of goods. Kyrgyzstan is ready to involve specialists from the High-Tech Park in the implementation of the project. Furthermore, the President proposed identifying specific joint projects in the fields of agricultural processing, light industry, the production of building materials and logistics, specifying the participants, sources of funding and implementation timelines. Particular attention was paid to the development of transport links. Among the priorities, Sadyr Japarov highlighted the reliability of routes, transport costs and the predictability of transit. In particular, the importance of constructing the ‘China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan’ railway line was noted for expanding the region’s countries’ participation in international transport and production networks. Other areas mentioned included the conservation of glaciers and mountain ecosystems, as well as the development of a shared tourism area based on the principle of ‘one trip – several countries’. It was proposed to combine historical, mountain and Caspian routes within a single tourism destination. The President of Kyrgyzstan stated the country’s readiness to continue working to strengthen good-neighbourly relations and mutually beneficial regional cooperation.