On the orders of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the Mejlis Dunyagozel Gulmanova received credentials from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to Turkmenistan Kestutis Vaskelevicius. This was reported by the state news agency TDH. On behalf of the President, D.Gulmanova congratulated the diplomat on his appointment and wished him success in strengthening bilateral ties. In response, the Ambassador conveyed greetings from the Lithuanian leadership and emphasised the importance of cooperation with Turkmenistan. During the meeting, the Ambassador was familiarised with Turkmenistan's foreign policy course, as well as the legal reform activities of the Mejlis. The prospects of cooperation in bilateral and international formats were discussed. Following the meeting, the diplomat expressed readiness to actively contribute to the development of relations based on trust and mutual respect.
On 15 May this year, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Georgia D.Seyitmammedov held a working meeting with Georgian Deputy Minister of Culture G.Mirtskhulava in Tbilisi. During the talks, the sides noted the positive dynamics of cooperation in various fields, paying special attention to cultural and humanitarian aspects. This was reported by the online edition 'Turkmenistan: Golden age'. Discussing the perspectives of cooperation, the diplomats noted the important role of mutual Cultural Days in strengthening ties between the two countries. The Ambassador of Turkmenistan informed the Georgian side about plans to organise large-scale events dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust in 2025 and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality. In this regard, it was proposed to organise joint cultural events with the participation of representatives of state bodies, scientific and creative circles of both countries. G.Mirtskhulava confirmed the interest of the Georgian partners in the development of cultural dialogue and their readiness to implement new joint projects. The sides agreed to further coordinate efforts to strengthen cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian sphere.
On 13 May 2025, a presentation on the political, social and economic development of Turkmenistan was held at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Austria Khemra Amannazarov highlighted in detail the key directions of domestic and foreign policy of the country, paying special attention to the efforts of the national leadership to strengthen democratic institutions, develop inclusive governance and ensure sustainable economic growth. This is reported by the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan. An important part of the speech was the discussion of regional cooperation, in particular, the interaction between Central Asia and the European Union. The Ambassador noted the active role of Turkmenistan in this process, recalling the holding of the 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting in Ashgabat on 27 March 2025, where the parties confirmed their interest in deepening constructive political dialogue. The event was a platform for exchanging views on strengthening economic ties, transport and communication integration and political partnership. The Austrian parliamentarians expressed support for Turkmenistan's initiatives and underlined their readiness to develop inter-parliamentary co-operation both with Turkmenistan and other countries of the Central Asian region.
Head of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation Rustam Minnikhanov visited the national stand of Turkmenistan at the exhibition Russia Halal Expo, organised as part of the XVI International Economic Forum ‘Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum’. This is reported by Orient news agency. During the visit, Rustam Minnikhanov familiarised himself with the exposition, which presented products of the leading sectors of Turkmenistan's economy, achievements in science and education, as well as products of applied art. The head of Tatarstan noted the steady pace of Turkmenistan's development and expressed gratitude for the course to expand international ties, in which Tatarstan plays a significant role. He also emphasised the fraternal nature of relations between the two regions and the high degree of mutual understanding. Russia Halal Expo is the largest platform in Russia to showcase investment and infrastructure projects within the halal economy. The exhibition provides forum participants with an opportunity to exchange experience, promote business initiatives and forge new partnerships.
On 14 May 2025, a delegation from Turkmenistan took part in the XVIII Forum of Creative and Scientific Intellectuals of the CIS countries entitled ‘Commonwealth of Independent States: New Horizons of Humanitarian Cooperation’. The event was held in the National Library of the capital of Tajikistan. This is reported by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. The plenary session, held in the morning, began with welcoming speeches by representatives of the Commonwealth countries. Among them, the vice-rector of the Turkmen National Conservatory named after Maya Kuliyeva B. Gutlymyradov made a speech. Then a panel discussion was held on the contribution of the Commonwealth nations to the great victory. Head of the Scientific Department of the Turkmen State University named after Makhtumkuli M. Hojakuliev in his speech revealed the main aspects of the foreign policy course of neutral Turkmenistan aimed at expanding partnership with the CIS countries and other countries of the world. Special emphasis was placed on the development of science and education, as well as international co-operation in these spheres. In addition, the reforms implemented in Turkmenistan on the initiatives of Hero-Arkadag and under the leadership of the honourable President were touched upon. Special attention was paid to the contribution of the Turkmen people to the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Within the framework of the forum, the books of Hero-Arkadag and honourable President of Turkmenistan were donated to the National Library of Tajikistan.
On 14 May, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Kyrgyz Republic Nury Golliev met with Director of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Aibek Abdymomunov. This is reported by the IIC. The parties considered opportunities to expand cooperation in the sports sphere and discussed plans to hold joint events to strengthen bilateral ties. The central topic of the talks was the initiative of the Turkmen side to organise a bicycle race timed to coincide with the World Bicycle Day, which is celebrated on June 3. As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached on further development of sports interaction and implementation of joint projects between Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.
On 14 April, a series of meetings were held in the capital's Garagum Hotel to discuss the expansion of international cooperation in the oil and gas sector. This was reported by the online news resource TerraNews. During the talks, bilateral meetings were held between the heads of the state concerns ‘Turkmengaz’ and ‘Turkmennebit’ and representatives of the Malaysian company Petronas, which has been successfully operating in Turkmenistan for many years. The parties discussed topical aspects of bilateral partnership, as well as possible directions for its further development. In addition, the sides met with the delegation of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), which arrived in Turkmenistan on a working visit. In the course of the dialogue, the current dynamics of cooperation in the oil and gas sector, as well as promising projects contributing to the deepening of partnership were discussed. In an atmosphere of constructive and interested exchange of views, ADNOC representatives expressed their high interest in further enhancing multilateral co-operation with Turkmenistan. Later, a meeting was held with the participation of the heads of Turkmenistan's fuel and energy complex, the United Arab Emirates' sectoral agencies, as well as representatives of Petronas. The participants discussed the current state of cooperation and identified priority vectors for its further development. At the end of the event, bilateral agreements were signed, reflecting the agreements reached and concrete steps to expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector. In particular, documents on the development of cooperation between the State Concern ‘Turkmennebit’ and Petronas Çarigali (Türkmenistan) and ADNOC Türkmenistan Limited, as well as an agreement between the State Concern ‘Turkmengaz’ and these companies aimed at deepening partnership relations were signed.
The III Bishkek International Film Festival will be held in the Kyrgyz capital from 11 to 15 June, with the participation of Turkmen filmmakers. They will present the feature film ‘Kitap’ (‘The Book’) directed by Hekim Alovov, as Turkmenistan's IIC reports. According to the source, the film, which was made by the Oguzkhan Turkmenfilm Association, is based on the work of Nurmyrat Sarykhanov and tells about the reverence of spiritual values by the Turkmen people. The film has already won recognition at the IV International Film Festival of the Turkic World "Gorkut ata" in Ashgabat and was awarded at the II International Film Festival "Turan" in Izmir.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Atajan Movlamov held a meeting with Secretary of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) of Pakistan Jamil Ahmad Qureshi on 13 May. This was reported by the press service of the Turkmen diplomatic mission. According to the source, during the meeting, the Ambassador informed the interlocutor about the current situation on the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. It was emphasised that TAPI can attract significant investments, strengthen energy security and promote economic integration of the region. A.Movlamov emphasised the role of the project in improving mutual understanding and peace in the region. Other joint energy and infrastructure initiatives, including the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) project, were also discussed during the talks. The Pakistani side expressed gratitude for the active cooperation and reiterated Pakistan's desire for the earliest practical implementation of TAPI. Following the meeting, the interlocutors reaffirmed their commitment to deepening energy and trade co-operation, as well as strengthening regional ties.
From 11 to 13 May 2025, Minister of Education of Turkmenistan J.Gurbangeldiyev made a working trip to Urumqi (China), where he took part in the first meeting of education ministers of Central Asia and China. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. The forum discussed key areas of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of education. The meeting participants outlined steps to deepen partnership, including the introduction of digital technologies, development of professional education and promotion of academic mobility. The Turkmen head of state emphasised the importance of regular meetings in such a format to exchange experience in the field of digital learning, ICT and the use of AI in the educational process. The meeting paid special attention to practical aspects of cooperation: exchange of teachers and students, implementation of joint scientific projects, as well as teaching Chinese language. The source notes that J.Gurbangeldiyev also had a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China, where they discussed the prospects of creating joint laboratories on AI, expanding the Chinese language teaching programme, as well as mechanisms of cooperation in the field of vocational education and academic grants.
Representatives of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan held a meeting with experts of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Tamara Kutonova and John Marco Church on 14 May. This was reported by the press service of the national parliament. According to the source, within the framework of the talks, the importance of the ongoing work on the rational use of water resources as the main condition for the harmonious development of the agro-industrial complex and other sectors was noted. In addition, the sides considered the directions of bilateral partnership, as well as the activity of the parliaments on issues related to environmental security. The sides also stressed the importance of Turkmenistan's accession to a number of international documents on the efficient use of water resources, including the Helsinki Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. Special emphasis was made on the importance of Turkmenistan's laws ‘On Nature Protection’, ‘On Drinking Water’, ‘On Environmental Analysis’ in strengthening the legal, economic and institutional framework for programme activities.
The Ashgabat Secondary Sports School of Olympic Reserve is actively preparing for the Asian Judo Cup among cadets, which will be held from 22 to 23 May in Tashkent. This is reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The national team of Turkmenistan will be represented at the competition by 18 judokas - 11 boys and 7 girls. About 320 athletes from Asian countries, including 218 boys and 102 girls, are expected to take part in the tournament. For young Turkmen athletes, the performance at the Asian Cup is not only an opportunity to win medals, but also an important step in their sports development. Ashgabat closely follows the preparation of athletes and puts great hopes on them, wishing them good luck on the tatami of the Tashkent tournament.