The delegation of Turkmenistan took part in the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum

On 17-18 April 2026, the delegation of Turkmenistan headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, took part in the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF-2026).

The high-level event was held at the Nest Congress Center in Antalya, Republic of Türkiye. The motto of the forum was “Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties.”

On the sidelines of the forum, a number of thematic sessions were held, during which participants exchanged views on topical issues of international cooperation, including sustainable development, regional security, and the expansion of economic ties.

In his speech at the session entitled “Shared Development: The Global standing of Central Asian States in the context of the 35th Anniversary of their Independence,” R.Meredov presented Turkmenistan’s position on strengthening regional stability and developing cross-border infrastructure. In particular, emphasis was placed on efforts aimed at ensuring energy security, developing international trade corridors, and expanding Eurasian cooperation.

It was noted that stability and security are key factors determining the development and prosperity of Central Asia. In recent years, the states of the region have been consistently directing their efforts toward the achievement of these goals.

It was also emphasized that the establishment of a new format of political interaction initiated by Turkmenistan – the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia, followed by the accession of Azerbaijan – has become a logical response to changing processes and trends in world politics.

At the same time, the importance of the energy dimension in Turkmenistan’s foreign economic strategy was noted. In this context, reference was made to the country’s efforts to diversify energy export routes, including the implementation of the TAPI gas pipeline project, as well as the expansion of electricity exports.

It was underlined that the principle of diversification pursued by Turkmenistan is based on a balanced consideration of the interests of all participants in energy cooperation – producer countries, transit states, and consumers.

Particular attention was paid to Turkmenistan’s initiatives within the framework of the United Nations aimed at ensuring energy security.

It was noted that, at the initiative of Turkmenistan, the United Nations General Assembly adopted three resolutions devoted to energy sustainability. At the national level, Turkmenistan is implementing their provisions, including through the already operational Turkmenistan – China gas pipeline, and is also providing neighbouring transit countries with opportunities to bring their energy resources to international energy markets.

The head of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy agency, R.Meredov, also focused attention on the further improvement of the transport and logistics sphere. It was emphasized that Central Asia is an important transport hub along the East – West and North – South routes.

Special attention was paid to the need to consolidate the efforts of the countries of the region in order to ensure the effective functioning of the transport corridor linking Asia and Europe.