The delegation of Turkmenistan participated in the regional inception workshop of the Blue Peace Central Asia initiative in Tashkent on March 28, 2025
The seminar in the capital of Uzbekistan brought together representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan was represented by a delegation consisting of Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC project Office in Turkmenistan, Batyr Mamedov, Head of the SIC ICSD secretariat, Resul Abayev, Chief Specialist of the Hydrometeorology Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, Jumamyrat Ovezmuradov, Chief Specialist of the Department of Higher and Secondary Vocational Education of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, Baygeldi Bayzhanov, Head of the Melioration Department of the State Committee for Water Management of Turkmenistan, Shohrat Allanazarov, Head of the Department of Land Cadastre, Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan, Department of Lebap velayat, Maksat Tekayev, Leading engineer of the Hydrometeorological Center of the National Hydrometeorological Service of Turkmenistan (Turkmengidromet), Shatlyk Pygamov, lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Land Reclamation of the Turkmen Agricultural Institute of Dashoguz, Baygylych Gylychmyradov, Senior lecturer at the Department of International Law and Comparative Law at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The event was organized by the International Institute of Water Resources Management (IWMI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC).
The seminar was aimed at ensuring that the priorities of the Blue Peace initiative are aligned with national objectives and at strengthening cooperation between Central Asian countries in the field of water resources management. The main objectives of the event were to support sustainable water use, improve cross-border cooperation and draw attention to the problems of climate change and water resources management at the regional level.
The event addressed key issues of water cooperation, water resources management, climate change adaptation and sustainable water use in the region. Special attention was paid to issues of transboundary water cooperation, water diplomacy, improving water quality and the role of water in ecosystem stability.
The participants exchanged experiences and discussed further steps to implement the Blue Peace initiative in the region, as well as prospects for expanding access to financing for joint water projects. At the end of the seminar, the contribution of initiatives to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the countries of Central Asia was highlighted.
Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, noted that the Blue Peace initiative is an important tool for addressing urgent water issues in the region. He stressed the need for further cooperation to ensure sustainable water resources management and improve water security in Central Asia.
Additional information:
Mergen Kepbanov– Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, turkmenistan@carececo.org