Representatives of 20 countries took part in an international forum at the IRI of the MFA of Turkmenistan
14.05.2026 | 14:24 |On May 12, the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted the international scientific and practical conference titled “Foreign Policy and Diplomacy of Turkmenistan: Cooperation for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development.” The hybrid format of the event made it possible to bring together leading experts from 20 countries around the world. This was reported on the official website of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan.
The forum gathered a broad range of participants: 45 foreign delegates arrived in Ashgabat in person, while another 42 joined online. Among the participants were diplomats and scholars from the United States, Germany, China, Belgium, CIS countries, and Central and South Asia. The Turkmen side was represented by more than 150 professors, experts, and young researchers.
The main focus of the conference was the role of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality as an instrument of global security. Participants discussed a wide range of current issues, including the development of multilateral diplomacy — from energy and transport to water and environmental diplomacy — strengthening cooperation with the United Nations through political and diplomatic mechanisms to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and also conducted detailed discussions on international law, economic efficiency, and humanitarian cooperation during sectional meetings.
One of the special features of the conference was a series of master classes for diplomatic students. Foreign professors and experts shared their experience with future colleagues in the fields of preventive diplomacy, innovative language-learning methods, and the professional skills of international journalism.
The event reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s status as an authoritative center for international dialogue. Foreign guests noted that the country’s positive neutrality creates unique opportunities for developing trust-based dialogue among nations, turning science and education into effective instruments of cultural diplomacy.
ORIENT