On October 16, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov took part in the Leaders' Summit held in the Republic of Armenia within the framework of the Conference on Biological Diversity.
The Leaders' Summit in Yerevan, organized as part of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, aims to consolidate the efforts of the global community to protect natural ecosystems. Amid growing challenges related to climate change, this authoritative platform provides heads of state with an opportunity to develop political mechanisms aimed at addressing pressing issues on the global environmental agenda.
The agenda of the high-level meeting included issues related to the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, financing environmental initiatives, and preparing for the main program of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17).
Upon arrival at the summit venue, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov was warmly welcomed by Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
In his speech, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov first expressed his sincere gratitude to Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan for organizing the Summit, the hospitality extended, and the conditions created for productive work. As noted, the current high-level meeting is a good opportunity to reaffirm the shared political will of states to preserve the planet's biodiversity and to move from commitments made to concrete, practical actions.
“Turkmenistan consistently supports the goals and principles of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. We proceed from the premise that biodiversity loss, climate change, desertification, and land degradation are interconnected challenges that directly affect the environmental security and sustainable development of countries,” said Arkadagly Hero Serdar.
Possessing unique natural ecosystems—from the Karakum Desert to the mountain ranges of Kopetdag and Koytendag and the coast of the Caspian Sea—Turkmenistan considers the preservation of its natural wealth as an important direction of state policy.
Speaking about our country's priorities in this work, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov listed among primary measures the improvement of the national system of specially protected natural areas, the development of environmental monitoring, and the protection of rare species of flora and fauna. An important tool in this area is the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of Turkmenistan for 2026–2035, developed taking into account the goals of the global framework program in cooperation with international partners.
Among future prospects, the Head of State identified the expansion of regional cooperation to preserve transboundary ecosystems, animal migration routes, and natural resources. It was noted that special importance is attached to the ecological well-being of the Caspian Sea, the preservation of the Aral Sea basin ecosystems, and combating desertification.
As emphasized, the effective solution of these tasks requires coordinated actions by states, scientifically grounded decisions, and long-term mechanisms of interaction.
Highlighting the importance of maximizing the potential of the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and international environmental protection mechanisms, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted that great attention is paid to cooperation with UNESCO in preserving natural heritage and developing scientific research. A clear example of international cooperation contributing to the preservation of unique ecosystems is the inclusion of Turkmenistan's natural territories in the transnational World Heritage site “Cold Winter Deserts of Turan.”
“We consider it important to further develop cooperation with relevant UN agencies, including in the scientific study of natural processes, the preservation of aquatic and marine ecosystems, and the improvement of environmental monitoring methods,” emphasized Arkadagly Hero Serdar, expressing conviction in the need to fully utilize the scientific, expert, and institutional capabilities of the UN system to achieve global goals in biodiversity conservation.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov also identified ensuring the necessary conditions for fulfilling international environmental obligations as a key task. As noted, access for developing countries to financial resources and modern technologies, strengthening national capacity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, including digital sequence information on genetic resources, are of paramount importance.
“Within the framework of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Turkmenistan will continue to promote initiatives aimed at strengthening international cooperation in environmental security and climate resilience,” said the Head of State.
At the same time, it was noted that Turkmenistan advocates the creation of the Ashgabat Climate Dialogue as an open multilateral platform for regular political and expert interaction, the promotion of practical initiatives, and the strengthening of international partnership.
As emphasized, special relevance is given to combating desertification and increasing the resilience of arid regions to the consequences of climate change. In this regard, Turkmenistan is promoting an initiative to create a Regional Center for Combating Desertification for Central Asian countries.
These areas are viewed as an important component of comprehensive international efforts to preserve ecosystems, ensure the rational use of natural resources, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. As President Serdar Berdimuhamedov stated, Turkmenistan is convinced that achieving global environmental goals is impossible without taking into account the interests and specific needs of developing countries, including landlocked states.
In this context, emphasis was placed on the special significance of the decisions of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, anchored in the Avaza Programme of Action for 2024–2034 and the Avaza Political Declaration.
“We consider it necessary to step up international support to expand access to climate and environmental financing, transfer modern environmental and digital technologies, and develop sustainable infrastructure capable of withstanding the impacts of climate change,” the head of state said. As stressed, international efforts to preserve biodiversity must be grounded in the principles of fairness, solidarity, and equal partnership.
“An important role in this should be played by multilateral cooperation mechanisms, including South–South cooperation, which allow combining the experience, knowledge, and capabilities of states in the interest of achieving common environmental goals,” the President of Turkmenistan continued, expressing confidence that the upcoming 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) will give additional impetus to fulfilling commitments and strengthening international partnership.
Reaffirming Turkmenistan's readiness for constructive interaction with all interested countries and international organizations, the Head of State noted that uniting political will, scientific knowledge, and practical capabilities will help preserve the planet's natural heritage for present and future generations.
The speech of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov was listened to with great attention.
Following the Summit, the Yerevan Declaration was adopted.
Upon completion of his working visit program to the Republic of Armenia, the head of state proceeded to Yerevan International Airport, from where he departed for his homeland.
The participation of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the high-level events held in Baku and Yerevan served as another clear manifestation of Turkmenistan's steadily growing authority, rightfully recognized globally as a responsible contributor to international cooperation. The initiatives put forward by the head of state at the Summits confirmed Turkmenistan's readiness for broad international collaboration to ensure environmental well-being and sustainable development both regionally and globally.
State News Agency of Turkmenistan
