The events of the past week reflected the priorities of the state policy of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov - further development of fruitful international cooperation, increasing the economic potential of the Motherland, commitment to the democratic path of development, caring attitude and increasing the spiritual and material values of the native people.

On March 20, in Doha, negotiations at the highest level between the President of Turkmenistan and the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, were held with great success.

The head of the Turkmen state held a preliminary meeting with the heads of leading companies and investment organizations in Qatar. An exhibition of products manufactured in our country was organized for Qatari partners.

During the meeting, the possibilities of developing investment activities in such areas as energy, the agricultural complex, the textile industry, scientific and innovative production, urban planning, and the use of renewable energy sources were discussed.

In order to strengthen the business platform, the commitment of Turkmenistan to the creation of a council of businessmen together with the State of Qatar was confirmed.

The association of businessmen of Qatar was invited to participate in the implementation of projects on international pipelines, as well as in the transport and infrastructure sector.

Having identified a number of important sectors of the economies of the two states among the key vectors of partnership, representatives of the business structures of the friendly country confirmed their readiness to expand their presence in the promising Turkmen market, take part in the implementation of large-scale government programs, as well as in projects of international importance.

In this context, the intention of the leading Qatari companies to visit Turkmenistan was expressed to get acquainted on the spot with the favorable investment climate and conditions for doing business. At the same time, it was stated that there are good opportunities for Turkmen entrepreneurs to work in Qatar, to implement joint business ideas.

A proposal was made to open a specialized center in Ashgabat of one of the largest transport and logistics companies in Qatar, plans for joint work in such segments of the economy as banking and development of the real estate market, and the creation of free economic zones were specified.

Then, in the palace of the Emir of the State of Qatar, negotiations were held in an expanded format with the participation of delegations of the two countries.

As was emphasized during the meeting, today there are no restrictions for building up productive interaction, and the addition of joint efforts to fully realize the existing colossal potential will allow in the near future to bring trade and economic cooperation to a qualitatively new level, significantly increase mutual trade turnover, diversify its structure and content.

The fuel and energy complex, industry, trade, transport and communications, high technologies, investments, construction, and tourism were named among the priority and most promising areas of interstate relations.

It was also noted that the coincidence or similarity of views on topical issues on the global agenda serves as a solid platform for further effective partnership between our countries within the framework of authoritative international and regional structures. In this regard, the readiness to continue to actively cooperate in this direction was confirmed.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov stated that there are prospects for deepening productive contacts in such areas as investment, oil and gas, and the creation of joint high-tech and environmentally friendly industries in these sectors. Speaking about the expediency of building up investment cooperation in the oil and gas sector, the head of state invited Qatari partners to actively participate in the implementation of international projects in the fuel and energy complex and other areas.

Having identified the textile industry, whose products are exported, among the main vectors of interaction, the head of Turkmenistan confirmed his readiness to consider the proposals of the leading companies of the friendly country in this area.

Emphasis was also placed on the interest of Turkmenistan in establishing close contacts with the Foundation for Education, Science and Social Development of the State of Qatar. In this regard, it was proposed to cooperate in such areas as conducting scientific and practical research, mastering world achievements in the field of high technologies, organizing internships and exchange visits.

As part of the exchange of views on cooperation in the field of sports, a number of specific proposals were made, including the organization of International Youth Sports Games.

Expressing deep gratitude to the Qatari leader for his great personal contribution to the development of bilateral dialogue, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov invited the Emir of the State of Qatar to visit Turkmenistan at any convenient time. The invitation was accepted with gratitude. The dates of the visit will be agreed through diplomatic channels.

During the subsequent high-level talks in the one-on-one format, the President of Turkmenistan and the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani concretized approaches to the implementation of effective cooperation in various fields.

The heads of the two states discussed a number of international and regional topics of interest to both sides, noting the complete coincidence of views on issues of cooperation in ensuring peace, security and global stable development.

Then a solemn ceremony of signing bilateral documents took place.

In the presence of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a Memorandum of Understanding is signed between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the State of Qatar in the field of prevention and elimination of emergency situations; Memorandum of Understanding between the Prosecutor General's Office of Turkmenistan and the State Prosecutor's Office of the State of Qatar in the field of prosecution; Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the State of Qatar in the field of youth; Cooperation program for 2023-2024 in the field of sports between the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Sports and the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the State of Qatar; Agreement between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the State of Qatar on the promotion and mutual protection of investments; Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Labor of the State of Qatar for cooperation; Agreement between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the State of Qatar on the abolition of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and service passports.

On the same day, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov visited the Foundation for Education, Science and Social Development, where he met with the leadership of the Qatar Foundation.

The head of Turkmenistan was familiarized with the main tasks of the multidisciplinary innovation center, under the auspices of which more than 50 educational and research institutions have been created, focused on solving local and global problems.

The President of Turkmenistan also got acquainted with the activities of the National Museum of Qatar, which has a rich fund of exhibits about the history of this state in different periods.

During the visit, the opening ceremony of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Doha was held. The solemn event was attended by heads and representatives of foreign diplomatic missions accredited in the friendly country, as well as the Foreign Ministry of Qatar.

On March 24, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held an expanded meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers using the digital system, which reviewed the preparations for the election of deputies of the Mejlis, members of the velayat, etrap, city halk maslahaty and Gengeshes.

In order to conduct voting in the country and abroad at a high level and in a festive atmosphere, the head of state ordered to organize musical and song performances of creative groups at all polling stations.

As the President of Turkmenistan noted, the voting process on March 26 should be covered on television and on the Internet, and the voting process should be broadcast online on the website of the Central Election Commission from 7.00 to 19.00 via a digital system.

Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of the responsible approach of the members of the commissions to the implementation of the electoral rights of the Turkmen people, as well as the proper organization of voting, the announcement of its results, the registration of elected deputies of the Mejlis and members of the velayat, etrap, city halk maslahaty and Gengeshes. At the same time, they spoke about the need to ensure the proper functioning of election commissions of districts and precincts, national and international observers.

On the same day, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov received the Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Sergei Lebedev, who heads the CIS observer mission for the upcoming elections to the Mejlis of Turkmenistan.

The guest informed the head of state about the activities of the CIS mission, emphasizing that all conditions have been created in Turkmenistan for the effective work of international observers. As noted, in general, the election campaign is taking place at a high organizational level, with the interested participation of the people of Turkmenistan.

Along with this, priority issues of cooperation in the Commonwealth format were discussed. At the same time, it was noted that our country, being an associate member of the CIS, actively participates in its activities and events, seeking to contribute to strengthening the positive role of the Commonwealth in modern regional and global processes.

Issues related to the activity of the mission of observers from the CIS were also considered during the meeting of the Chairman of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums in Turkmenistan with the CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev.

The prospects for cooperation within the CIS, the deepening of fruitful ties based on the historically established traditions of friendship and good neighborliness, the principles of mutual understanding and respect, were also discussed by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at a meeting with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Independent States Sergey Lebedev.

Last week, the President of Turkmenistan signed a number of Resolutions. Thus, the State Association "Turkmen atlary" was instructed to establish, in the prescribed manner, the Research and Production Center for Horse Breeding, as well as to develop and approve its Charter, and the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports - to provide scientifically based training of the national teams of Turkmenistan for the XXXIII Summer Olympic and XVII Summer Paralympic Games to be held in Paris (French Republic) in 2024.

On March 26, elections of deputies of the Mejlis, members of the velayat, etrap and city halk maslahaty and Gengeshes were held in Turkmenistan on a broad alternative basis.

Voting took place in a solemn atmosphere at 2,602 polling stations in the country and at 42 polling stations established under the diplomatic missions of Turkmenistan abroad.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, voting early in the morning at polling station No. 48, located in the specialized secondary school No. 68 named after Annaniyaz Artyk in the Kopetdag etrap of the capital, wished each candidate good luck, and members of the election commission - successful holding of this important social and political event.

At the same polling station, the National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov also voted for a worthy candidate.

As Hero-Arkadag noted in an interview given to the domestic media, the distinguishing feature of the current elections from the previous ones is that most of the candidates this time are young people. This fact makes it possible to work out and improve the national legislative and legal framework in accordance with the existing realities and the identified prospects.

In addition, a large number of women and girls are participating in the current elections, which demonstrates the commitment of the Turkmen state to the policy of gender equality.

All polling stations were equipped in advance with transparent ballot boxes, including portable, ballot papers and the necessary reference and methodological literature. The voting procedure took place in rooms equipped with special booths. Each polling station was equipped with reliable communications and vehicles.

The voting process could be observed on the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Full monitoring of the electoral process was carried out by national and international observers present at the polling stations, including those from the UN, the CIS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Turkic States, experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

According to them, the elections were held on an alternative and democratic basis, in accordance with the legislation in force in the country and generally accepted norms of international law.

According to the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums in Turkmenistan, by the time the polling stations were closed, i.e. By 19:00, 91.12 percent of the electorate took part in the elections of deputies of the Mejlis, 91.10 percent of the members of the velayat, etrap and city halk maslahaty, and 91.20 percent of the members of the Gengeshes.

According to the information provided by the Central Election Commission, the elections were recognized as valid.

Among other events of the past week was the international conference "Main directions and potential of tourism development in Turkmenistan" held in the capital's Arçabil hotel. The forum was attended by representatives of international organizations, heads and experts of leading Turkmen and foreign companies specializing in the field, including those from Uzbekistan, China, Croatia, Bulgaria, Iran, Korea, etc.

As it was emphasized, the demand for historical tours to our country to exotic places with a contrast of antiquity and modernity is growing all over the world. Among the most popular is the route of the Great Silk Road.

Particular attention was paid to the amazing places of Turkmenistan - the Koytendag caves, dinosaur footprints with a history of several million years, the architectural sights of white marble Ashgabat, some of which are included in the Guinness Book of Records, as well as the Avaza National Tourist Zone, focused on the development of the tourism industry.

On the sidelines of the forum, bilateral meetings were held between specialists from ministries and private firms in the tourism sector of Turkmenistan with representatives of international organizations and foreign specialized companies. Relevant documents were also signed, new contacts were established, and prospects for cooperation were discussed.

The delegates of the conference, as well as international observers who came to our country to monitor the upcoming elections of deputies of the Mejlis, members of the velayat, city and etrap halk maslahaty and Gengeshes, also took part in colorful celebrations dedicated to the International Day of Nowruz - the National Spring Holiday, which unfolded on the traditional "Nowruz ýaýlasy" site in the Ak Bugday etrap of the Akhal velayat.

Colorful folklore and ethnographic performances filled with music and songs, the beauty of ancient rituals, performances by bakhshi and masters of the arts of the country, an abundance of dastarkhan with dishes of national cuisine - all this allowed numerous guests of the holiday to plunge into the indescribable atmosphere of the Turkmen toy.

In the Maslakhat Palace, under the leadership of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, a joint meeting was held with the participation of the Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers and members of the State Security Council. It was also attended by the heads of administrative bodies and other institutions of the city of Arkadag.

The agenda includes discussion of the newly adopted Law of Turkmenistan “On the city of Arkadag” and other legislative acts, organizational and personnel issues, as well as the definition of priorities.

During the meeting, Hero-Arkadag instructed to consider issues related to inviting foreign guests and representatives of leading international organizations to ceremonial events on the occasion of the opening of the first stage of construction of the new city.

As noted, at present, the construction of 336 objects for various purposes is at the final stage in the new city, with special attention being paid to the proposals and innovative ideas of youth. Thus, at the initiative of Arkadag, this city in the full sense of the word became a youth city. Its architectural and decorative features fully comply with the best practices and principles of national architecture.

Turning to the events of the international plan, we note that last week, on the instructions of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the Chairman of the Mejlis G. Mammedova received credentials from the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Argentine Republic, Eduardo Antonio Zuain.

As part of a thorough exchange of views on the entire spectrum of Turkmen-Argentine cooperation, built on a long-term mutually beneficial basis, mutual interest was confirmed, which ensures the progressive dynamics of partnership development in a number of key areas.

On March 24, in accordance with the schedule announced by the President of Turkmenistan, the cotton growers of Akhal, Balkan, Lebap and Mary velayats started sowing. A little later, on March 29, farmers of the Dashoguz velayat will join them.

According to a good tradition, the venerable elders blessed the beginning of sowing by throwing the first seeds into the ground. This year, 580,000 hectares of sown areas have been allocated for cotton. Private agricultural producers also participate in the cultivation of this crop.

The past week was so rich and varied in events, which clearly demonstrated success in the implementation of the state policy of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, aimed at further democratization of society, building up international cooperation, accelerating the country's innovative progress in the name of well-being and happy life of the native people.