President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov visited China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and participated in the SCO+ Summit as a guest of honour. The visit confirmed the strategic nature of the Turkmen-Chinese partnership, based on centuries-old traditions of trust and cooperation, according to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Particular attention was paid to energy: the parties announced the preparation of a General Agreement on the Basic Principles of Cooperation in the Gas Sector. The document is symbolically linked to the ‘Oath Treaty,’ reflecting the historical depth of relations between the two peoples. Today, Turkmenistan and China, building on the legacy of the Great Silk Road, are developing equal and mutually beneficial cooperation. Trust-based contacts between the leaders of the two countries and regular high-level visits play an important role in strengthening the partnership, contributing to the realisation of the potential for bilateral cooperation.
The Turkmenistan team won two gold medals at the ‘Platinum Cup’ international tournament, which was held in Almaty. This was reported by IIC. The winners were Alexey Voronin and Sanjar Yolamanov, who went through the tournament without a single defeat. Their confident performances brought the Turkmenistan team the highest awards, and the national anthem was played for the athletes during the award ceremony. In the 40+ category, team coach Vyacheslav Voronin won the gold medal, confirming the high class of the Turkmen fencing school and strengthening the country's reputation on the international arena. This success was an important milestone in preparation for future competitions. The next major event for Turkmen fencers will be the Asian Cup, which will be held in Tashkent from 7 to 13 September. The athletes are expected to continue to perform well at this prestigious tournament.
Andrea Stegher, President of the International Gas Union (IGU), will be a keynote speaker at the OGT 2025 conference, which will take place from 22 to 24 October in Ashgabat. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. His participation is intended to strengthen the discussion on the role of gas in the global energy transition and highlight the strategic importance of Turkmenistan in the Eurasian energy sector. The IGU brings together more than 130 organisations from 70 countries, representing over 90% of the global gas market and promoting safe and low-carbon solutions. OGT 2025 is expected to attract more than 300 delegates from 40 countries, including ministers, oil and gas company executives, technology experts and representatives of financial institutions. The conference programme covers energy security, gas monetisation, emissions reduction, digitalisation, financing and human resource development.
Turkmenistan and Italy continue to strengthen relations as they prepare for two important events. As part of this process, a meeting was held between Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Italy Toyli Komekov and Italy's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, according to the news website Asmannews. The main topics of negotiation were preparations for a state visit and a large-scale archaeological exhibition. The parties discussed strengthening political, diplomatic, trade and economic ties, as well as expanding cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian spheres. During the meeting, special attention was paid to the preparation of an exhibition of unique artefacts at the Capitoline Museum in Rome. The exhibition will introduce visitors to the priceless finds of the ancient civilisations of Margiana and Nisa. Among the exhibits, items discovered during joint Turkmen-Italian archaeological expeditions are of particular value. This exhibition will be an important milestone in many years of cooperation and one of the key cultural events of the year. The main topic of the meeting was the visit of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, to Italy, which is planned for this year. This visit is seen as an important step in giving new impetus to bilateral relations. The diplomats agreed to hold a series of events with the participation of the heads of relevant departments. The upcoming events demonstrate the growing importance of the strategic partnership between Turkmenistan and Italy and open up new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of both countries.
Begench Durdyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea, took part in the ‘2025 KNDA Dialogues with Ambassadors’ forum, held on 4 September at the National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul. This was reported by the press service of the Turkmen diplomatic mission. The meeting was dedicated to familiarising foreign diplomats with the foreign policy course of the new government of the Republic of Korea. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun noted the active diplomatic activity of the country's President Lee Jae-myung, who held negotiations with more than 18 world leaders, and also reported on the country's chairmanship of three UN bodies. Among the priorities of Korea's foreign policy, he highlighted peace on the Korean Peninsula, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the climate agenda and cultural diplomacy. The Minister also spoke about preparations for the APEC summit in Gyeongju in October. In a separate conversation with the South Korean Foreign Minister, Ambassador Durdyev discussed the results of a telephone conversation between the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and the President of South Korea, and also expressed his gratitude for the assistance and confirmed his readiness to develop bilateral cooperation.
From 2 to 3 September, the Training Centre of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan hosted simulation exercises on the legal regulation of illegal maritime trade. This was reported by the press service of the Turkmenistan Customs Service. The event was organised by the UNODC Regional Office for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan. This is the centre's first international event since it was granted regional status. Representatives of key state bodies of Turkmenistan and a delegation of specialists from Kazakhstan took part in the exercise. The programme covered the international legal framework for maritime law enforcement, surveillance and monitoring methods, the use of radar and satellite systems, and the practice of gathering evidence for prosecution. The training demonstrated an innovative approach to training specialists and contributed to the exchange of experience and the strengthening of regional security.
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov signed an order to send humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which was hit by an earthquake. This was reported by the state news agency TDH. On behalf of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship, medicines, food, textiles and other necessary goods will be sent. The humanitarian initiative is linked to the tradition of providing support to neighbouring peoples, especially children and vulnerable groups. The foundation provides assistance not only within the country, but also beyond its borders. The decision to send aid is not only practical, but also spiritual support for the people of Afghanistan, as well as confirmation of Turkmenistan's desire to strengthen good-neighbourly relations and friendship.
During an official meeting in Beijing, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of China Xi Jinping discussed key issues of bilateral cooperation. Particular attention was paid to partnership in the gas industry. This was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The President of Turkmenistan announced that the Chinese side had won an international tender for the development of the fourth phase of the giant ‘Galkynysh’ gas field, which began in 2013. The field is one of the world's largest underground hydrocarbon reserves, with natural gas reserves of 27.4 trillion cubic metres. The Chinese side's victory in the tender confirms the strategic nature of the energy partnership between the two countries.
On 4 September, an international meeting of leaders of the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the CIS countries began at the ‘Archabil’ Hotel in Ashgabat. The event is being held in a hybrid format with the participation of representatives of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as delegates from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Qatar. Delegates from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are participating in the discussions online. This was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. During the two-day meeting, attention will be paid to mechanisms for responding to emergencies, increasing disaster resilience and strengthening humanitarian diplomacy. Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality provides ample opportunities for effective dialogue, including on complex issues that have arisen in some European regions. Participants will consider the development of humanitarian activities based on fundamental principles and discuss the institutional strengthening of national societies. The event is being held as part of the International Year of Peace and Trust, which makes the discussions particularly relevant.
A delegation from Turkmenistan, led by Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations N. Agahanov, paid a working visit to the Japanese cities of Osaka and Tokyo from 30 August to 3 September this year. The visit was dedicated to the development of bilateral cooperation in the field of trade and the textile industry. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. In Tokyo, meetings were held with the Chairman of the Turkmen-Japanese Committee on Economic Cooperation, H. Tsubai, and the President of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) N.Ishiguro. In Osaka, negotiation was held with M. Ichinoki, Deputy Secretary-General of the EXPO 2025 Japan Association, as well as with representatives of the Saudi Arabia and Qatar pavilions at EXPO 2025. The key topics of the negotiation were opportunities for Japanese companies in the Turkmenistan market, the development of export-import operations and the promotion of Turkmen textile products in Japan. The parties discussed specific initiatives to strengthen trade and economic partnership between the two countries.
The Turkmenistan U23 national football team secured a convincing 5-1 victory over Chinese Taipei in their first match of the Asian Cup qualifying round. The match was held in Amman, Jordan, according to IIC. Dayanch Meredov opened the scoring in the 19th minute, and Sohbet Durdyev doubled the lead in the 32nd minute. Before the break, the Turkmen players conceded a goal, but Meredov soon scored his second. In the second half, D. Meredov completed his hat-trick, and in the second minute of added time, Abdyrahman Annamyradov set the final score of the match at 5-1. This victory earned the Turkmen national team three points in Group A. The Turkmen footballers will play their next match on 6 September against the Bhutan youth team.
In 2024, trade turnover between the Persian Gulf countries and Central Asia reached $3.3 billion, which is 4.2 times higher than in 2020. This was reported by the online publication Arzuw.news. Turkmenistan became the largest partner of the Gulf countries with a volume of $2 billion (61% of total trade), increasing trade almost tenfold. Uzbekistan ranked second with $740 million (23%), and Kazakhstan ranked third with $302 million (9%). The UAE remains the absolute leader among the Gulf countries, accounting for 97% of trade with the region. Overall, 80% of turnover consists of supplies from the Gulf countries to Central Asia. For Turkmenistan, this trade accounts for about 10% of foreign trade, the highest figure in the region. Experts estimate the unrealised potential of mutual trade at $4.9 billion, mainly due to exports of cars, electronics and jewellery from the Gulf, as well as metals and agricultural products from Central Asia.