On October 19, Samarkand will host the next “C5+1” ministerial meeting between the countries of Central Asia and the United States. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs R. Meredov reported on preparations for the event, according to the TDH news agency.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that from September 2025 through September 2026, Turkmenistan co-chaired the “C5+1” Secretariat together with the United States. During this period, the Turkmen side initiated, for the first time, the promotion of a separate thematic agenda within the framework of the platform, focusing on the potential of artificial intelligence. On November 6, 2025, a summit of the heads of state of the participating countries was held in Washington.

According to R. Meredov, at the meeting in Samarkand, Turkmenistan will present its position on the main areas of multilateral cooperation. Business sessions involving government officials and entrepreneurs will be held in parallel. The agenda will include digital technologies, education and healthcare, critical minerals, energy, transportation infrastructure, agriculture, the textile industry, finance, and investment.

A bilateral meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State is also planned. The parties intend to discuss prospects for cooperation in areas of mutual interest and preparations for the Turkmen-U.S. political consultations, which will take place on November 3 in Ashgabat.

Following the ministerial meeting, a Joint Declaration by the Foreign Ministers of the Central Asian Countries and the U.S. is expected to be adopted.

After hearing the report, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov instructed R. Meredov to ensure proper preparations for the meeting and to take an active part in it.