Turkmenistan is advancing initiatives to establish two specialized regional centers in Central Asia: one focused on climate-related technologies and another on combating desertification. This was announced by Makhtumkuli Akmuradov, Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan on environmental and water diplomacy, during a pre-conference session of the international “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – 2025” (OGT 2025) forum.

Akmuradov noted that in President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s address at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, it was confirmed that Turkmenistan will continue efforts to set up a regional center dedicated to climate technology. The center will aim to promote new technological solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation, as well as foster international cooperation in environmental innovation.

He stated that the center could serve as a hub for structured and scientific dialogue, uniting Central Asian countries, UN agencies, and the global research community for the transfer of climate technologies. “I believe the center might begin operating by the end of this year,” he added.

The second initiative involves the creation of a regional center for combating desertification. According to Akmuradov, this center would function with the support of relevant UN bodies and play a key role in coordinating regional efforts in this area.

Furthermore, Turkmenistan is promoting the development and adoption of regional conventions for the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins. “We hope these international legal instruments will form a solid foundation for consistent, fair, and sustainable management of transboundary water resources in Central Asia,” Akmuradov stated.

He concluded by noting that recent scientific research involving leading regional experts confirms the need for distinct basin-specific approaches for Amu Darya and Syr Darya, as a unified solution is not feasible for all water systems.