Discussion on Turkmenistan’s cooperation in transport diplomacy
Turkmenistan and the UN International Center for Transport Diplomacy (ICTD) discussed issues of cooperation in the field of transport diplomacy during a meeting held on May 1, 2023, in Ashgabat. The meeting brought together Turkmenistan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, B. Myatiev, and the ICTD’s Executive Secretary, Igor Runov. The parties discussed a range of topics, including sustainable and safe transport, stable and reliable international transport, and the adoption of important documents within the framework of international organizations, especially the UN.
It was noted that Turkmenistan plays an active role in the development and strengthening of international cooperation on transport. The country has taken initiative on multilateral consideration of issues related to international transport and the drafting of important transport policies. Additionally, the parties acknowledged the importance of UN General Assembly resolutions on international cooperation in the field of transport, which were initiated by Turkmenistan with the support of the ICTD in 2014, 2015, and 2017. The first UN conference on sustainable transport was also held in Ashgabat in 2016.
Turkmenistan’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister highlighted the special efforts made by the International Center to promote transport policy and diplomacy, especially in the context of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Turkmenistan and the ICTD actively participate in the development and presentation of draft resolutions, including the proposed resolution on sustainable transport in the post-COVID era.
The partnership focused on improving the legal and logistical basis of international and regional transport infrastructure. The parties noted Turkmenistan’s activity in developing essential transport and logistics routes, including the “North-South” and “East-West” directions, the “Lapis-Lazuli” route, the “Kazakhstan-Iran-Turkmenistan” route, the “Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman” route, and the interregional transport corridors. The development of the “Europe-Caucasus-Asia”-TRACECA international transport corridor was also highlighted.
Finally, the meeting emphasized the strategic directions outlined in Turkmenistan’s Program for the development of transport diplomacy for 2022-2025, which includes the comprehensive modernization of the material and technical base of all types of transport infrastructure in the country.
