In the Era of Revival of the New Epoch of the Powerful State, Turkmenistan under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov continues to follow confidently its chosen creative foreign policy strategy, unshakable principles of which are positive neutrality, peaceful disposition, good neighbourhood and equal constructive cooperation.

On February 13, the head of Turkmenistan received head of the Italian company “Leonardo S.p. A.” Stefano Pontecorvo. As President Serdar Berdimuhamedov underlined during the meeting, Italy is one of the important partners of Turkmenistan in Europe. The head of the state expressed confidence that the bilateral negotiations planned on the sidelines of the present visit of the head of the company “Leonardo S.p. A.” to our country, will promote expansion of fruitful business cooperation.

The sides discussed priority areas of interaction pointing out to fruitful contacts established between Turkmenistan and Italian companies in trade and economic, energy spheres and in the private sector. They also considered possibilities of involvement of potential of satellite communications. In the given context, readiness of Turkmenistan to consider specific proposals of “Leonardo S.p A.” was underlined.

On February 14, President of Turkmenistan, Supreme Commander-Chief of the Armed Forces of the country general Serdar Berdimuhamedov held the next meeting of the State Security Council. Its agenda included consideration of results of the work of military and country enforcement bodies of the country for January of 2024. It also outlined priority goals of security and stability in our independent fatherland, strengthening of the material and technical basis of security bodies and further improvement of their activity.

As the Supreme Commander-Chief of the Armed Forces of the country marked, according to the Military doctrine, which bears a fully defensive character, measures on maintenance of security and integrity of our independent neutral state, consolidation of its defensibility are taken consistently at high level. At the same time, practical steps will be also taken further with a view of improvement of conditions of service and life of defenders of our fatherland and members of their families.

On February 16, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a regular online meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, which summed up the work of sectors of national economy for January of the current year as well as considered topical issues of state life.

Summing up the reports, the President of the country underlined that one should continue work on improvement of the national legislation according to requirements of the time. New legal acts should promote further development of Turkmenistan, successful implementation of adopted programs and steady improvement of living conditions of people.

The head of the state focused attention on conduction of the corresponding work for successful realization of programs of social and economic development of the country for 2022-2028 as well as maintenance of dynamics of growth of gross national product and harmonious development of all sectors of national economy.

Among the priorities, which the fuel and energy sector faces - realisation of complex measures on increase in volumes of extraction of natural gas and oil, effective functioning of industrial projects, increase of rates of prospecting and drilling activities.

Having noted importance of rational use of water in agriculture, modernisation of water supply system, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov instructed the relevant authorities to continue work in the given area.

With a view of increase of productivity of agricultural crops, the head of the state instructed the related authorities to pay unrelenting attention to timely conduction of seasonal agricultural campaigns in velayats taking into account agro-technical standards.

Having pointed out to necessity of holding of prices and supply of markets, shops of the country with consumer goods under constant control, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov underlined that it is necessary to carry out further measures to supply the population with quality foodstuffs. He also gave concrete instructions for modernisation of work of textile enterprises.

Developing upon organisation of activity of the sphere of culture according to requirements of the time, the head of the state gave particular attention to issues of proper operation of libraries, culture centres, popularisation and careful preservation of national historical and cultural heritage, education of the growing generation in the spirit of patriotism, diligence and high morals.

A number of instructions concerned organisation of events on the occasion of the 300^th birthday anniversary of the great poet and thinker Magtymguly Fragi and declaration of Anau city as cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2024.

Besides it, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov underlined importance of steady increase in the volume of passenger and cargo turnover, transit and international cargo transportation. In this connection, promotion of culture of service to passengers and wide introduction of digital system in the sector were emphasized.

The outcome of the working visit of the delegation of Turkmenistan to the United Arab Emirates, that took place on February 11-14 at the instructions of the head of the state, became a separate topic of the meeting.

As was marked, the delegation of our country took part in the World Government Summit, which was held in Dubai. According to the agenda, it touched upon six basic issues concerning such aspects as reforming and efficiency of the government, artificial intelligence, future economy, society and future education, stability and new global actions, priority areas of urbanization and public health services.

Representatives of more than 120 countries, over 80 international organisations and large companies took part in the Summit. During the large scale forum three issues were sounded, solution of which is proposed on the basis of global approaches proceeding from international initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan.

So, it was proposed to create a Global Atlas of Sustainable Transport Connectivity that will become a practical continuation of the Ashgabat process that begun at the first Global conference on sustainable transport, held in the Turkmen capital in November, 2016. The given initiative is aimed at development of mutually agreed actions on the basis of multilateral partnership, open database and analytics in the above-named sphere.

It was also proposed to create a Global Energy Security and Sustainability Cooperation Alliance in the field of global energy security and sustainable development. Indivisibility and coherence of goals for providing an access to reliable, steady and modern energy sources for all should become a major principle of partnership in its framework.

The third proposal concerns the development of a Global framework program for the transition to a circular economy (Global Circular Economy Transition Framework) based on the priorities of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In its development, one should follow four key elements - general standard indicators and reporting, international cooperation in the field of especially important resources, creation of Global innovative fund of technologies of economy of closed cycle, increase in the potential and exchange of experience.

With a view of realisation of the initiatives set forth above at the international level it is planned to hold corresponding work proceeding from priorities of the foreign policy of Turkmenistan.

On the margins of the Summit, meetings of the delegation of our country with the Deputy Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Deputy Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) were held. The subject of interested discussion included prospects of interaction in the field of industry, construction and renewed energy.

Meetings with Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technologies of the UAE, Director General of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (MASDAR) Mohammed Jamil Al-Ramahi, Managing Director and Executive Director of the Department of Electrification and Water Supply of Dubai (DEWA) Saeed Al Thayer also took place during the working visit. A wide spectrum of issues in the context of dynamically developing cooperation between Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates were considered.

We should also point out that modernisation of the city of Arkadag solemnly opened in 2023 became one of the central topics of the meetings held by the delegation of our country. Issues of introduction of innovative approaches in spheres of artificial intelligence, economy of future, education, urbanization, public health services in the new city were discussed.

Summing up results of work of ministries and sectoral departments for the first month of the current year, the President of Turkmenistan stated that the rate of increase of gross national product in January made up 6,3 percent, in sectors of national economy sustainable development was reached.

As the head of the state underlined, at present, it is necessary to take measures on increase in volumes of output in industrial sectors, effectively to use available capacities, to expand the scope of activity in the sphere of trade and services.

It is also necessary to continue work on implementation of revenues and expenditures of the state budget in planned volumes.

In the first month of 2024, the volume of capital investments realized at the expense of all sources of financing, made up 2 billion 545 million manats that is 24,6 percent more than the corresponding period of the past year, and creates conditions for increase in capacities.

At the same time, it will give the chance to improve significantly social living conditions of the population as well as to create additional workplaces in regions.

One should note that the past week the President of Turkmenistan signed the Resolution, according to which, the khyakimlik of Ashgabat city is authorised to conclude with local building enterprises contracts on designing and building comprehensive secondary schools and kindergartens with accomplishment of their adjoining territories in the residential area Parakhat -7 in the capital.

Among events of the past week - The first meeting of the heads of parliaments of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality entitled “The Role of Parliamentary Cooperation in Strengthening Peace and Dialogue” took place in the Mejlis in a hybrid format.

In video messages of the Secretary General of the Inter-parliamentary Union and heads of foreign parliaments, it was underlined that taking into account an increased role of parliamentary diplomacy in the modern world, similar meetings are much claimed.

With a view of intensification of cooperation of the United Nations with national and inter-parliamentary associations, readiness for close interaction in legislation and for exchange of experience in the sphere of innovations, advancement of principles of neutrality and dialogue in attainment of peace and security as well as sustainable development goals was expressed.

The outcome of work of the first meeting of the heads of parliaments of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality found its reflexion in the final document adopted on the basis of proposals and opinions made there.

Among other significant events of the week - The award ceremony of 1 million US dollars cash award to the administration of the Ak Bugday district of the Akhal region held in the festive atmosphere for winning the competition for the best etrap of the country in 2023.

On the occasion of Day of Diplomats of Turkmenistan marked on February 18, at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International conference “Magtymguly Fragi’s Concept of Peace and the Diplomacy of Neutral Turkmenistan” and the opening ceremony of the specialized training centre “Diplomatic Protocol” of the Institute of International Relations were held.

The opening of the training centre once again attested to special attention of the state to improvement of work of higher educational institutions and strengthening of their material and technical basis.

Some of Deputy-Chairmen of the Cabinet, heads of diplomatic missions and international organisations accredited to our country, representatives of national foreign service, public organisations, mass-media, the faculty and students of some higher educational establishments took part in the event.

In their speeches participants of the conference underlined that under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov Turkmenistan steadily realises its constructive foreign policy aimed at development of multiplane international cooperation, consolidation of efforts of the world community in achievement of the Goals of sustainable development in regional and global dimensions. This far-sighted strategy and creative initiatives put forward by the head of the state are welcomed with general approval and support.

As was marked, the creative heritage of the great poet and thinker Magtymguly Fragi is an invaluable national property and integral part of the treasury of world culture. His poems find the response in the hearts of people as they display bright eternal universal values - love for the country, humanism, peaceful disposition, call to creation, friendship and brotherhood. These principles make up a basis of maintenance of neutrality and continue to be a source of wisdom, continuity and topicality of diplomacy of our state.

At the forum, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan Dmitry Shlapachenko, the Ambassadors of Germany, Iran, Italy, and Turkey to Turkmenistan made their speeches at the conference.

On the occasion of the professional holiday, mentor diplomats were awarded the distinction “Skilled Diplomat of Turkmenistan” (Türkmenistanyň ussat diplomaty), and young specialists of the diplomatic service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan were awarded the corresponding certificates of honour of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their active participation in the implementation of the foreign policy strategy of the state.

On the same day, in the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a ceremony was held for the signing of bilateral documents between the ministries and departments, public organisations of Turkmenistan and representations of structural divisions of the United Nations Organization in Turkmenistan - UNDP, UNFPA, and UNICEF.

Thus, events of the past week visually display success of the policy realised by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the major principle of which is “State - for people!”, aimed at further development of economic potential of Turkmenistan, increase of well-being of its people as well as augmentation of the international authority of our fatherland.