President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the work of the second summit of the Islamic Cooperation Organization (ICO) on science and technologies, which was held in video conference format.

Multidimensional cooperation with competent regional and international organizations is determined as one of the key vectors of foreign course of independent neutral Motherland, which is based on the principles of peace, good neighborliness and wide equal partnership. Standing for optimal realization of existing potential, our country proposes regular initiatives that meet the goals of common prosperity and sustainable development.

Turkmenistan is a member of the ICO since 1992. It is worth to remind that this international organizations (it was called the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) until 2011, was founded in 1969. Its headquarter is located in Jeddah (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). As of today, 57 countries are the members of the ICO. Number of countries and big organizations including the UN, ECO, Non-alignment movement have a status of observers.

Heads of several states as well as leaders of profile ministries and other relevant structures of the state members of the organization have taken part in current virtual summit on the subject “Science, technologies and innovations: Opening new horizons”. The agenda of the forum included further cooperation in the above-mentioned spheres, realization of ICO Program for these directions until 2026.

Participation of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in current Summit is another evidence of active and initiative position of Turkmenistan in strengthening of friendship and solidarity between the states and nations, expansion of productive partnership, consolidation of efforts for solution of current regional and global issues.

The floor was given to the participants after the opening of online forum.

In the beginning of his speech, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed gratitude to Secretary General of the ICO, Dr. Yosef Bin Ahmad Al-Usaimin for organization of the summit. The head of Turkmenistan noted that the subject, which was brought out to review at the current meeting, is urgent in modern period of unprecedented breakthrough of information technologies and requirement of joint scientific studies in the fields, which present significant interest for all humans.

The first Summit on science and technologies has been held in September 2017. Certain results have been achieved in realization of ten-year Program of the organization in this sphere for 2005 – 2015, which allowed specifying new objectives and long-term goals in the second program document until 2026.

In this context, Turkmenistan highly appraises the success reached until today in solution of the utmost objectives specified in the above-mentioned document as well as the activity of the ICO Permanent Committee for scientific and technological cooperation in this direction, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

Continuing on this subject, the leader of the nation specified perspective vectors of partnership, which would bring real result for all state members of the Islamic Cooperation Organization.

First, this is an establishment of relations for development of fundamental science, joint search for efficient scientific solutions, development of methods of exchange of results of important studies especially in medical and healthcare spheres.

This initiative of Turkmen side has been determined as one of the main directions of the Agenda of the Organization in the sphere of innovations related to opening of scientific and technical centers until 2026. This is about the establishment of the Network of scientific and research centers of the ICO, which will form scientific and technological potential of the Islamic world and will give opportunity to exchange data between scientific communities of our countries in rapid and coordinated manner, the head of Turkmenistan explained.

Second, it is proposed to intensify the process of development of unified concept and the main rules of water, food and ecological safety in the ICO space. This is clearly mentioned in the Program of scientific and technical cooperation until 2026.

Absence of certain conceptual documents in such important sphere does not allow us solving existing complicated issues such as equal provision of water resources, strategic food products and recovery of negative impact of the climate change and ecological catastrophes, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted.

Confirming resolving commitment to consolidation and expansion of international efforts against modern ecological threats, Turkmenistan proposes number of specific and immediate measures. In particular, our country has said about the necessity to develop a strategy under the United Nations aegis aimed at creation of the roadmap for development of hydrogen as one of priority direction in energy sphere.

Speaking of this, the head of the state has expressed his confidence that solidarity of the Islamic world in implementation of international initiatives in this fields is to promote the achievement of goals outlined in 2030 Global Agenda for Sustainable Development by each member of the ICO.

Third, noting the importance of previous objectives for establishment of the system of big data and modern structure of safe digital economy, we outline two integral subjects, which define the success in achievement of the next goals, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

This is a formation of reliable systems of physical provision in certain countries and big regions, international integration of the systems of provision of Muslim countries as well as establishment of single data register based on the centers of highly productive computer systems of the ICO state members proposed by the Permanent Committee for science and technologies.

In this regard, Turkmenistan is willing to review the capability of using its national factors for provision of place and operation of such centers, the leader of the nation highlighted.

In the end, addressing the participants of the meeting and noting that current summit is an important step toward the strengthening of solidarity in the Muslim world for progress and prosperity of our states, the head of Turkmenistan wished all strong health and peace, wealth and prosperity to the peoples of the ICO state members.

The speech of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was listened with deep interested attention.

Therefore, neutral Turkmenistan represented by its national leader has re-confirmed its commitment to constructive cooperation in regional and global scale including in the format of competent international organizations, having demonstrated its active position in development of balanced solutions of current modern issues aimed at provision of universal peace, security, wealth and achievement of the Sustainable development goals.