The First Caspian Environmental Summit Held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone

Turkmenistan once again serves as a venue for major international events of profound significance at both the regional and global levels.

On 9 October 2026, the First Caspian Environmental Summit was held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone.

The meeting, chaired by President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, was attended by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The Summit served as an important platform for addressing pressing environmental issues in line with the realities of the present day.

Following the meeting, the Decision of the Heads of State on the outcomes of the Caspian Environmental Summit was adopted.

In this regard, it is important to note that Turkmenistan advocates the development of constructive cooperation with all interested partners, primarily within the framework of the United Nations, aimed at ensuring sustainable development and protecting the marine environment of the Caspian Sea.

During the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2023, Turkmenistan presented the “Caspian Environmental Initiative”, aimed at consolidating efforts to protect the marine environment. Active work is underway to implement this initiative, both at the national level and in cooperation with partner countries and international organisations.

In this context, it should be emphasised that, guided by its policy of positive neutrality, Turkmenistan consistently makes every effort to transform the Caspian Sea into a sea of peace, trust and friendship. The country is working diligently to strengthen close ties among the Caspian littoral states in the fields of energy, transport and logistics, industry and trade.

Thus, building on the constructive initiatives of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Hero-Arkadag, and under the wise leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Turkmenistan regularly puts forward constructive initiatives to expand trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties in the Caspian region. These initiatives enjoy broad support among the littoral states.

Turkmenistan also initiated the first Summit of the Heads of the Caspian littoral states. The forum was held in Ashgabat in 2002 and marked the starting point for identifying priority areas of cooperation for the near and long-term future.

Since then, the interstate negotiation mechanism has reached a qualitatively new level. At the first Caspian Summit, ideas were put forward that subsequently formed the basis of documents adopted at later summits.

Turkmenistan also proposed convening the first Caspian Economic Forum. The forum was successfully held on 12 August 2019 in the Avaza National Tourist Zone. The event was aimed at expanding trade and economic ties among the littoral states and helped identify new areas of economic partnership of mutual interest to the countries of the region.

Turkmenistan continues to advocate fundamentally new and effective approaches in regional and global politics, contributing to the establishment of mechanisms that promote productive negotiation processes and lead to projects delivering tangible results.