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Ashgabat discusses updating reproductive health measures
25.01.2026From 21 to 23 January, a national seminar on crisis preparedness was held in Ashgabat. It was organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative Office. The topic was the updating of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) on reproductive health, according to AsmanNews. The seminar was a practical step in the implementation of the UNFPA Country Programme for 2026-2030. Representatives of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, defence and law enforcement agencies, as well as the National Red Crescent Society participated in the seminar, which was led by UNFPA international expert Heather Lorenzen. Participants assessed national capacity and finalised the MISP plan. It includes coordination and financing mechanisms. The discussion focused on public access to medical care and the protection of women's and young people's rights in crisis situations. Following the meeting, a unified strategy for the application of the MISP was formed. The national action plan defines the roles of all parties and provides for monitoring and rapid response systems.
Turkmenistan and the EU strengthen cooperation on climate issues
24.01.2026On 22 January, the third meeting of the Coordination Committee of the project ‘EU for a Green Turkmenistan: Policy Dialogue and Climate Action 2024-2028’ was held in Ashgabat. This was reported by the news website Asmanenws. The event was attended by representatives of the country's government agencies, the European Union, the German Embassy and international partners. The project is being implemented as part of the ‘Green Central Asia II’ programme, co-financed by the EU and the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Germany, and aims to develop political dialogue, strengthen climate policy and introduce advanced environmental practices. It includes two pilot projects on climate change adaptation and environmental impact reduction. The meeting participants summarised the work done in 2025 and approved the plan and budget for 2026, paying particular attention to projects in the field of solar energy, drainage water treatment and methane emission reduction. Following the meeting, the EU announced an additional €2 million in funding for the expansion of the project, noting its effective start and high level of cooperation with Turkmenistan.
The American delegation visited Ancient Nisa and the Turkmen State Circus
24.01.2026US Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor, who are visiting Turkmenistan, took part in a cultural programme at the end of the official part of their visit. This was reported by IIC. The guests visited the Turkmen State Circus. They were entertained by the ‘Galkynysh’ national equestrian games group, six-time world champions and winners of the 47th International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. In addition, the American representatives visited Ancient Nisa, located 18 kilometres from Ashgabat. The monument is part of the Nisa State Historical and Cultural Reserve and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The excursion covered both settlements — New and Old Nisa, dating from the 1st millennium BC to the 1st millennium AD.
A seminar on biosafety issues was held in Ashgabat
23.01.2026From 20 to 22 January, a seminar on the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention, organised with the support of the OSCE, was held in Ashgabat. The event was aimed at strengthening national capacity and developing inter-agency cooperation, according to the news website Turkmenportal. The seminar was attended by representatives of law enforcement and border control agencies, the health care system and the academic community. Participants underwent practical training in preparing annual reports on confidence-building measures and discussed opportunities for international cooperation in the field of biosafety. The seminar was held in partnership with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit, with the participation of OSCE structures and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, and was implemented as part of an extrabudgetary project of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat with financial support from the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Ashgabat marks the establishment of World Turkic Language Family Day
23.01.2026A ceremony dedicated to the proclamation of World Turkic Language Family Day, which UNESCO has designated as 15 December, was held in Ashgabat. This was reported by the state news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The event took place at the Cultural Centre of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey. The initiative to establish the date came from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The decision was taken at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan, diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey, as well as the media and residents of the capital. Ahmet Demirok, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Turkmenistan, noted the importance of joint efforts to preserve linguistic heritage and cultural memory. He emphasised Turkmenistan's contribution to the development and support of the Turkic world. As part of the ceremony, guests were shown video materials about the history and culture of the Turkic world.
Turkmenistan's contribution to regional stability was recognised at the SPECA forum in Ashgabat
23.01.2026Secretary General of the ‘Central Asia-China’ format Sun Weidong noted Turkmenistan's contribution to strengthening regional dialogue and promoting peace initiatives. He made this statement at the SPECA Economic Forum in Ashgabat, according to Turkmenportal. According to him, geopolitical conflicts and rising protectionism are destabilising global supply chains. In these conditions, the Diplomat stressed, readiness for open dialogue is particularly important. He noted the active role of Turkmenistan as a permanently neutral state. Sun Weidong also highly praised Ashgabat's work as chair of SPECA and the country's contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. He separately emphasised the strategic position of Central Asia, connecting East and West, and the importance of stability in the region for the entire Eurasian space. The Secretary-General noted the importance of systemic interconnectivity among the landlocked countries of the region. According to him, diversified logistics can transform Central Asia from a ‘geographical hub’ into a ‘development hub.’ He identified three key areas of cooperation: energy, transport and digitalisation of trade, describing them as the ‘iron triangle’ of regional interconnectedness.
Conference in Ashgabat highlights Central Asia's role in food security
23.01.2026Central Asia plays an important role in global food security. At the same time, the world needs to provide its population not just with food, but with functional nutrition that is beneficial to health. This was stated by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, according to Turkmenportal. The speech was delivered at the International Conference ‘Health and Nutrition in a Changing Climate’ in Ashgabat. According to him, food security should be assessed not only in terms of quantity but also in terms of quality. He noted that some foods do not contribute to maintaining health. The Head of the FAO highlighted three key elements of food security: availability, reliability and affordability. Qu Dongyu gave examples showing that even with the availability of food and reasonable prices, there may still be a shortage of healthy and functional food. He also recalled the historical role of Central Asia in food security and pointed to the impact of geopolitical processes in recent decades on the global food system.
The CIS Railway Transport Council meeting will be held in Turkmenistan
23.01.2026Turkmenistan will host the 84th meeting of the Council on Railway Transport of the CIS Member States. The event will take place in June 2026. This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Railway Transport of Turkmenistan, Sylapberdi Nurberdiyev, at the SPECA Economic Forum in Ashgabat, reports AsmanNews. According to him, the Turkmen side is ready to organise the meeting and is counting on the participation of delegations from the CIS countries. He also invited the forum participants to join the future session of the Council. Sylapberdi Nurberdiyev noted that Turkmenistan is developing the region as an international transport and logistics hub and is open to joint infrastructure projects. Among the priorities, he mentioned the ‘Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman’ corridor, which could provide Central Asian countries with access to the ports of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. The importance of the ‘Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran’ railway line, the eastern route of the North-South corridor, was also emphasised. According to the Deputy Minister, this is one of the most efficient routes to the ports of the Gulf of Oman, which is in demand not only in the region, but also in Russia and China.
Turkmenistan modernises customs in preparation for WTO accession
23.01.2026Turkmenistan is modernising customs procedures and introducing digital solutions as part of its preparations for accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This was announced by Galina Romanova, Head of the consolidated department of public finance and economic policy at the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, according to Turkmenportal. The statement was made at the SPECA Economic Forum in Ashgabat. According to her, the key focus is on simplifying trade procedures at borders and transport corridors. These measures, as Romanova noted, are aimed at speeding up and increasing the transparency of foreign trade operations. She also said that after receiving observer status, Turkmenistan is studying WTO agreements, assessing their compliance with national interests and long-term development goals.
Turkmenistan expands early childhood development programmes with UNICEF support
22.01.2026In Turkmenistan, a second group of national trainers has been certified in the ‘Guide for Monitoring Child Development’ (GMCD), which aims to improve the quality of services for young children. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal, citing the UNICEF press service. The new group of specialists is continuing the work begun after the certification of the first trainers in 2018 and is contributing to the expansion of early childhood development programmes throughout the country. The internationally recognised GMCD tool enables health workers to monitor the development of children from birth to 3.5 years of age and provide timely support to families. The certification is the result of many years of cooperation between UNICEF, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and experts from Ankara University. Since 2018, the GMCD has been gradually introduced into the primary health care system, including pilot projects, training of specialists and the development of early intervention services. The integration of the GMCD into educational programmes, clinical standards and national reporting systems is also being considered.
Digital monitoring of agriculture discussed in Ashgabat
22.01.2026An interdepartmental seminar on the introduction of remote sensing of the Earth in agriculture in Turkmenistan was held in Ashgabat. It was held as part of a project by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). This was reported by IIC. The main topic was the national electronic system for real-time monitoring of winter wheat and cotton crops. The model is based on satellite images and data from unmanned aerial vehicles. The system automatically recognises crops and assesses chlorophyll levels. This allows plant growth to be tracked and problem areas to be identified. The results of tests conducted in the Mary velayat in 2024–2025 demonstrated the effectiveness of the approach. The programme records diseases, soil salinisation, land degradation and moisture deficiency. The project provides for a secure digital platform with regional access. In the future, it is planned to integrate land cadastre data, weather reports and soil analysis into the system. The use of drones for precision fertilisation and plant protection was discussed separately. The Ministry of Agriculture noted that the project also aims to train specialists in the field of IT and cybersecurity.
Hindi corner opened at language university in Turkmenistan
22.01.2026A Hindi language corner has been opened at the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages in Ashgabat. This was reported by IIC. The ceremony was attended by the university's management and a delegation from India led by the Secretary for Western Affairs of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Republic of India, Sibi George. Among the guests were also the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Turkmenistan, Bandaru Wilsonbabu, diplomats, teachers and students. Students presented creative performances, including national dances and Indian songs. The language corner is equipped with modern equipment. It is designed for studying the language, literature and culture of India using digital and printed materials. It is planned that the space will become a centre for readings, competitions and discussions.
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