On 30 May 2025, in Astana, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan held a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, Giorgia Meloni, to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and exploring new avenues for cooperation.
President Berdimuhamedov emphasized Turkmenistan’s commitment to enhancing relations with European nations, particularly Italy. He took the opportunity to convey warm greetings from the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, noting that Hero-Arkadag fondly recalls his official visit to Italy as head of state.
Highlighting the significance of the “Central Asia – Italy” format initiated by Italy as an effective mechanism for fostering strong and mutually beneficial interstate relations, President Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s readiness to contribute to its further development.
Prime Minister Meloni expressed satisfaction with the consistent and long-term growth of bilateral relations and extended best wishes to Hero-Arkadag. She noted the successful cooperation between the two nations on the international stage, particularly within the United Nations, OSCE.
President Berdimuhamedov expressed gratitude to Italy for its unwavering support of Turkmenistan’s neutrality and international initiatives. He extended an invitation to Prime Minister Meloni to participate in a high-level forum scheduled for December 12 in Ashgabat, marking the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s neutrality and the International Year of Peace and Trust.
Thanking him for the invitation, Meloni praised Turkmenistan’s contributions to global peace and sustainable development, affirming Italy’s continued support for Turkmenistan’s initiatives in these areas.
The leaders noted the steady growth of bilateral trade and economic cooperation, particularly in the oil and gas sector, transport, and textile industries, as evidenced by the annual increase in mutual trade turnover. Berdimuhamedov highlighted significant opportunities for expanding partnerships in energy, chemical industries, railway infrastructure, ecology, agriculture, and water management, expressing Turkmenistan’s openness to considering Italian proposals.
To streamline trade and economic collaboration, President of Turkmenistan proposed establishing a joint mechanism, such as an intergovernmental commission or a business council. Prime Minister Meloni welcomed the proposal, confirming Italy’s commitment to strengthening partnership in this direction.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation was underscored as an integral part of bilateral relations. The study of the Italian language in Turkmenistan’s universities and schools, as well as long-standing collaboration in archaeology, were cited as vivid examples of this engagement.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Meloni invited President Berdimuhamedov to visit Italy at any convenient time.
During the working visit of the Head of state to the Republic of Kazakhstan, a document exchange ceremony was held, in particular:
- Agreement between the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies (ISMEO) (Italy) on cooperation in the field of archaeological research
- The agreement between the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the Turin Center for Archaeological Research and Excavations for the Middle East and Asia ( CRAST ) (Italy) on further cooperation in the field of archaeological research. ///nCa, 31 May 2025 [photo credit – official website of Italian Government]