Turkmenistan presented a strategic concept for its 2026 CIS chair. The plan was presented on January 29 in Minsk at the first meeting of the year for the CIS Council of Permanent Plenipotentiaries, according to the country’s International Information Center.
Turkmenistan’s Ambassador to Belarus, Nazarguly Shagulyev, noted that peace, neutrality, and strengthening trust between countries will be priorities.
Ashgabat proposed declaring 2027 the Year of Transport Connectivity in the CIS. The country plans to develop transport corridors, digital infrastructure, and innovative projects to enhance the region’s competitiveness.
Politically, Turkmenistan advocates for coordinated actions to protect international law and proposed developing a common diplomatic position for CIS countries at the UN. Ashgabat also plans to initiate the declaration of 2028 as the International Year of Law.
The humanitarian component of the concept encompasses youth exchanges, sports, multilingualism, environmental protection, the green economy, and scientific and technical cooperation. At the meeting in Minsk, preparations for the CIS Foreign Ministers’ Council meeting in Kaliningrad in April were discussed and a report on the development of Commonwealth statistics was reviewed, reaffirming the commitment to integration and pragmatic partnership.
