A delegation of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan held strategic talks with leading international organisations at the Education World Forum on 19 May 2025. This is reported by the Ministry of Education of the country. One of the most important meetings was with representatives of Times Higher Education (THE), an authoritative agency for academic ratings. The parties discussed the integration of Turkmen universities into the global educational space. THE noted the significant progress of the country: the number of scientific publications of teachers has increased 95 times in five years due to the introduction of a digital monitoring platform. Special attention was paid to the elaboration of the Strategy for the Development of Higher Education of Turkmenistan until 2052. THE confirmed the methodology's compliance with international standards and offered expert support, including consultations and training programmes to improve the competitiveness of HEIs.
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov has sent an official congratulation to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his enthronement. This is reported by IIC. In his congratulatory message, the President of Turkmenistan expressed confidence that the new pontiff will make a significant contribution to the strengthening of spiritual values, development of interfaith dialogue, achievement of unity and global peace. Serdar Berdimuhamedov stressed the importance of continuing constructive interaction between Turkmenistan and the Vatican. In the final part of the congratulatory message, the Head of State wished Pope Leo XIV good health, wisdom and success in fulfilling his high mission.
The National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Vice President of the UAE Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan held telephone talks on 19 May this year, during which they confirmed the dynamic development of bilateral relations. This is reported by IIC. The interlocutors noted the steady development of trade and economic cooperation, including the implementation of joint projects with leading UAE companies. Special attention was paid to the energy partnership, in particular, to the agreements involving ADNOC (UAE) and PETRONAS (Malaysia), which open new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation. At the end of the conversation, the sides exchanged good wishes and expressed confidence in further strengthening of friendly ties between Turkmenistan and the UAE.
A dialogue forum organised by the Center for Political and International Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran was held in Tehran on 18-19 May. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov took part in the event. This is reported by the IIC. In a panel discussion on the role of transport corridors in the development of Eurasia, Meredov stressed the importance of transport and logistics connectivity for sustainable growth and regional cooperation. He presented Turkmenistan's initiative ‘Revival of the Great Silk Road’ as an important tool of Eurasian integration, and also spoke about the development of national infrastructure, modernisation of Caspian ports and participation in transit projects with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Iran. The Turkmen Foreign Affairs Minister noted the country's contribution to the promotion of sustainable transport, recalling the holding of the first UN Global Conference on this topic in Ashgabat in 2016. He also touched upon Turkmenistan's energy strategy, including the TAPI gas pipeline project and the expansion of electricity exports to West Asia. During the forum, Rashid Meredov held a number of bilateral meetings with representatives of other countries to discuss prospects for co-operation.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Geneva took part in the solemn ceremony of enthronement of the new Pope Leo XIV held in the Vatican. This is reported by IIC. The presence of the Turkmen diplomat at this significant event underscores Turkmenistan's consistent position in the development of inter-religious dialogue, respect for spiritual values and strengthening international understanding. Participation in the ceremony was a confirmation of Turkmenistan's peace-loving foreign policy based on the principles of permanent neutrality, openness and respect for cultural diversity of the world community. The ceremony gathered in the Vatican representatives of the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and heads of international organisations from all over the world.
At the World Ice Hockey World Championship (Division IIIA) held in Istanbul, Turkmenistan's national team showed an impressive result, winning silver medals. Six teams took part in the tournament: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, South Africa and Turkmenistan. This is reported by the ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The Turkmen team started the tournament with three consecutive victories: 3:1 against Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2:1 against the tournament hosts - Turkey, 8:3 against Luxembourg. The decisive game was against Kyrgyzstan, in which the Turkmenistan is suffered their only defeat (1:6). However, in the final game against South Africa, the team showed character, coming back from 2:5 down in the third period to win in overtime (6:5). With 11 points, Turkmenistan took second place, behind only Kyrgyzstan (15 points). This result was a significant progress compared to last year's 4th place. The team featured 19 hockey players from the Galkan, Shir, Oguzkhan and Alp Arslan clubs. The coaching staff headed by Ilyas Veliyev successfully prepared the team for the tournament, which made it possible to achieve the best result in the history of Turkmen hockey.
Turkmenistan's pavilion took the honorable third place among the brightest national expositions at the World EXPO 2025 in Osaka. This is reported by Turkmenportal news website. According to the source, the rating was based on the results of a survey of 100 visitors to the exhibition, conducted by Japanese ABC Television (Asahi Broadcasting Corporation). Representatives of the TV channel emphasised the original architectural solution of the Turkmen pavilion. According to them, the facade of the building makes an unforgettable impression, especially in the evening. It is noteworthy that the Japanese audience was particularly interested in the Japanese language textbooks used in primary schools of Turkmenistan. The report also noted the gastronomic part of the exposition. The journalists highly appreciated the traditional Turkmen tea set and the national treat pishme offered to it.
On 18 May 2025, the Education World Forum, the largest international platform that annually gathers ministers and representatives of education departments from more than 100 countries, opened in London. This year's event is attended by a delegation of Turkmenistan headed by Deputy Education Minister Azat Atayev, the press service of the Ministry of Education reported. On the first day of the forum, as part of the pre-summit programme, the Turkmen delegation took part in a strategic session on building inclusive, sustainable and effective education systems. As part of further events of the first day of the forum, the Turkmen delegation met with representatives of the OECD to discuss the prospects of co-operation in the field of education quality assessment. The Turkmen side confirmed the inclusion of the PISA study objectives in the national concept of education system development until 2028. The parties agreed to continue the dialogue on studying the methodology of international comparative studies. A working meeting with representatives of Times Higher Education agency specialising in university ratings was also held. They discussed mechanisms to improve the international competitiveness of Turkmen universities. THE presented analytical data on the impact of the university sector on the development of the economy and human capital, and also offered to organise an online seminar for Turkmen universities on improving positions in global academic rankings. The source notes that the work of the forum continues. The delegation of Turkmenistan will take part in plenary sessions and a number of bilateral meetings aimed at developing international cooperation and sharing best practices in the conditions of digital transformation of education.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the State Committee for Construction of Arkadag City under the President of Turkmenistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was signed with the participation of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. This is reported by TDH news agency. According to the source, the document lays the foundation for deepening partnership in the field of energy, water supply and urban planning in Arkadag city - a pilot project of ‘smart’ and ‘green’ city, implemented with the use of advanced technologies and digital solutions. The parties agreed to promote energy and water saving technologies, develop renewable energy sources, reuse water resources, as well as exchange expertise and best practices in the implementation of joint projects. The source notes that at the end of the ceremony, Director of the ADB Resident Mission in Turkmenistan Artur Andrysiak emphasised the contribution of the country's leadership to the successful development of investment initiatives with the Bank's participation. He also proposed to hold a solemn event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of co-operation between ADB and Turkmenistan.
Consul General of Turkmenistan in Herat (Afghanistan) Batyr Yolov held a meeting with the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in Herat Tomoko Kutoba on 15 May. This was reported by the press service of the Turkmen consulate. According to the source, the importance of multifaceted cooperation between Turkmenistan and UNAMA was emphasised during the talks. The sides also highlighted the measures taken by the Government of Turkmenistan to promote the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline, power transmission systems and fibre-optic communication Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan, as well as to intensify railway traffic. At the end of the meeting, the sides reaffirmed their intention to continue strengthening the partnership.
The ‘Aşgabat’ Song and Music Centre hosted a concert of masters of arts dedicated to the Constitution and State Flag Day of Turkmenistan. The holiday uniting the two state symbols emphasises the importance of national unity and cultural traditions of the country. This is reported by the state news agency TDH. The event was opened with a literary and musical composition ‘Başym gurban bolsun Türkmenistana, başym gurban Arkadagly Serdara, başym gurban parlap duran tuguma, başym gurban bolsun Arkadagyma!’. The programme included performances by popular vocalists, musical and choreographic groups, as well as young participants from folklore ensembles. The audience was particularly excited by the performance of patriotic songs reflecting pride in the country's achievements. The concert ended with a kushtdepdi dance in a modern interpretation, presented by the ‘Miras’ group. The festive events timed to mark Constitution and State Flag Day were held across the country, uniting people in an atmosphere of celebration and patriotism.
President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov has sent a congratulatory message to the participants and guests of the International Festival ‘Music of the World’, which will be held from 19 to 21 May in Ashgabat. This is reported by the state news agency TDH. The Head of state noted Turkmenistan's achievements in various spheres, stressing that the state programmes contribute to the well-being of the people. The President of Turkmenistan paid special attention to the initiative to declare 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust, supported by the UN General Assembly. Serdar Berdimuhamedov stressed the importance of cultural cooperation and called the festival an important step in strengthening friendship and humanitarian ties with other states. The head of state recalled the role of art as a unifying force and noted that the festival demonstrates Turkmenistan's openness to the world. The President of Turkmenistan expressed confidence that the festival would strengthen international creative ties and promote cultural values, wishing the participants new achievements in art.