On May 30, 2025, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov paid a working visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan to participate in the First Central Asia-Italy Summit.

Currently, Turkmen-Italian political and diplomatic relations are consistently developing on a bilateral basis and in a multilateral format, primarily within the framework of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other international structures. Italy co-authored numerous Resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly on the initiative of our country.

Cooperation between Italy and the Central Asian states, which have significant reserves of natural resources, demonstrate dynamic development of national economies today and have a favorable geographical location, allows the parties to more effectively realize their potential. In this context, it should be noted that this partnership opens up access to advanced technologies, investments and positive experience in the industrial, energy and infrastructure sectors for the countries of the region.

... The head of state was seen off by officials at the Ashgabat International Airport. After some time, the head of state's plane landed at the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport in Astana.

In the air harbor, decorated with the national flags of the countries participating in the Central Asia-Italy Summit, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov was met by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and other officials of the friendly state, as well as members of the delegation of Turkmenistan.

A guard of honor was lined up along the carpet leading from the plane's steps. According to the age-old traditions of hospitality, the head of state was presented with bouquets of flowers.

Then the motorcade of the President of Turkmenistan headed to the venue of the high-level meeting – the Independence Palace.

At the main entrance of the Palace, the head of state was warmly welcomed by the Kazakh leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Before the Summit, bilateral meetings of the President of Turkmenistan with the Prime Minister of Italy and the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan were held here.

After the traditional joint photo ceremony, the heads of the delegations headed to the conference hall, where the First Central Asia-Italy Summit was held.

The Summit, chaired by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was also attended by the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic Giorgio Meloni, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Having greeted the distinguished guests, the head of the friendly state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed gratitude for their participation in the current Summit and support for cooperation within the framework of this format.

As noted, important issues related to trade, investment, energy, transport, logistics, and scientific and educational spheres will be discussed during the high-level meeting. In this regard, the head of Kazakhstan expressed confidence that specific decisions will be made following the Summit, the practical implementation of which is intended to promote strengthening regional cooperation in a multilateral format.

Then the floor was given to the Summit participants.

Having warmly welcomed the Summit participants, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, first of all, expressed gratitude to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for the invitation to this Forum, the hospitality provided and the conditions created for work, as well as to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgio Meloni for the initiative to hold the first Summit in the "Central Asia - Italy" format. Expressing confidence that the current meeting will be a significant contribution to the intensification of mutually beneficial partnership between the Central Asian states and Italy, the head of state confirmed Turkmenistan's interest in expanding multifaceted cooperation within this promising format and Turkmenistan's readiness to contribute to its development.

As noted, the Central Asian states are currently actively interacting to create conditions for ensuring sustainable and progressive development of the region.

Among the most pressing vectors of intraregional cooperation today, one can highlight interaction in the sphere of politics and security, economy, transport, climate, and water resources, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov continued.

Speaking about security, the head of state noted that Turkmenistan views this important category through the prism of its integrity and indivisible nature.

In this context, the conviction was expressed that the United Nations system remains the only universal mechanism for ensuring sustainable security. Based on this understanding, Turkmenistan proposed declaring 2025 the "International Year of Peace and Trust". Taking this opportunity, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed gratitude to everyone for supporting this initiative, approved by the UN General Assembly Resolution in March 2024.

Key topics in the field of peacebuilding, developing a culture of political dialogue, strengthening trusting relations between the states of the planet will be considered within the framework of the International Forum of Peace and Trust, which will be held on December 12 this year in Ashgabat and will be dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality, said President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, taking this opportunity to invite all present heads of state and government to take part in this Forum.

Turning to the issue of regional security, the head of state emphasized that the situation in Afghanistan cannot be ignored. At the same time, special emphasis was placed on the fact that Turkmenistan considers it important to continue practical work to establish an international dialogue with the new de facto authorities of Afghanistan.

In this regard, it was noted that Turkmenistan will continue to make the necessary efforts to implement major regional projects, such as the TAPI gas pipeline, the high-voltage power transmission line along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan route, and the construction of railways in the Afghan direction. The need to intensify efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghan people was also emphasized.

Speaking about economic cooperation within the framework of the Central Asia-Italy format, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov highlighted traditional areas among the important areas of interaction in this area - energy, transport, industry, financial and private sectors, as well as new areas such as digitalization, green technologies and artificial intelligence.

At the same time, the head of state placed special emphasis on the energy sector. In this regard, great importance is attached to projects aimed at exporting Turkmen gas to Europe.

Hydrogen energy was named as another promising area of joint work. The head of Turkmenistan declared readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation with Italian partners.

Speaking about transport interconnectivity, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted that at the current stage of transformation of world transport routes, our country is interested in participating in new partnership configurations along the Asia-Europe trajectory. In this context, one of the promising European projects is the "Middle Corridor", passing through the countries of Central Asia and the Caspian region.

Ecology and climate are no less relevant areas of cooperation. Increasing the energy efficiency of existing industrial capacities, rational water use in the region, and the introduction of "green" and resource-saving technologies can become priority vectors of interaction within the framework of the "Central Asia - Italy" format, the head of state noted, in this context outlining the initiative put forward by Turkmenistan to create a UN Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies in Central Asia in Ashgabat.

Emphasis was also placed on the cultural and historical dimension of cooperation between Italy and Central Asia, whose multifaceted partnership experience spans more than two thousand years.

Having noted with satisfaction that Italian archaeologists have been fruitfully working in Turkmenistan for more than 30 years, making an important contribution to the process of bilateral scientific cooperation, the head of state expressed confidence that the archaeological exhibition "Flowering of Cultures: Bronze Age Margiana and the Parthian Kingdom. Archaeological Discoveries in Turkmenistan", planned for organization in Rome, will make an invaluable contribution to the further rapprochement of our peoples. Another promising area of cooperation is education. In this context, support for inter-university and academic partnership was noted. In this regard, our country's readiness to further facilitate this process was expressed.

In conclusion, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov once again confirmed Turkmenistan's commitment to further strengthening and expanding comprehensive cooperation with the Italian Republic both at the bilateral level and within the framework of the Central Asia - Italy dialogue format.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev thanked the head of state for his informative speech, the specific proposals voiced and the positive vision of the prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation.

As part of the open and constructive dialogue, the Summit participants exchanged views on the state and prospects of cooperation between the Central Asian states and Italy.

Following the results of the first Central Asia - Italy Summit, a Joint Declaration was adopted.

Having completed the program of the working visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, the head of state arrived at the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport in Astana, from where he departed for his homeland.

* * *

As part of the working visit of the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the Republic of Kazakhstan, a ceremony was held to exchange documents, in particular, the 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, as well as the Agreement between the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the Turin Center for Archaeological Research and Excavations in Asia and the Middle East (Italy) on further cooperation in the field of archaeological research.