In the last hours of 2019, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed his compatriots with a new year's address, which, in particular, reads:

Dear compatriots!

My native people!

The year 2019, which was held under the motto "Turkmenistan is the birthplace of prosperity", has come to an end. In a few moments, we will see 2019 and the new year – 2020. The outgoing year was one of prosperity. We bid farewell to a year full of successes and labor victories. At this moment, when we address each other with the best wishes, I cordially congratulate all of you on the new year, 2020! May you be lucky in the New year!

According to the Turkmen chronology, 2020 is the year of the Mouse, which is characterized by special diligence, energy, is not afraid of difficulties, is determined, and most importantly, it does not know how to work tirelessly. In the year of the Mouse, rich harvests are expected.

In 2019, we carried out large-scale reforms and started implementing many grandiose projects. In the year that passed under the motto "Turkmenistan is the birthplace of prosperity", in the Akhal velayat, we put into operation the world's only plant for the production of environmentally friendly gasoline from natural gas. New schools, kindergartens, streets and other numerous objects have been opened in the capital and regions. Thousands of happy families celebrated a housewarming party, getting the keys to high-comfort apartments. Water treatment plants, greenhouses, and other facilities were opened, and thousands of new jobs were created.

2019 will be remembered as the year of the beginning of large-scale works. We have started construction of the high-speed highway Ashgabat-Turkmenabat, laid the Foundation of the new administrative center of the Akhal velayat. In the vicinity of the Ak Yayla reservoir, not far from the Turkmen lake “Altyn Asyr”, the construction of an infrastructure complex for social and industrial purposes has begun.

At the second session of the “Halk Maslakhaty” of Turkmenistan, we identified the tasks related to improving the activities of the representative body of legislative power. We approved the main directions of socio-economic development of the country in 2020. In the new year at the meeting of “Halk Maslakhaty”, we will discuss the most important issues of life of the state.

Today, deep reforms are being implemented in agriculture. Our farmers have grown generous crop yields this year, handing over more than 1 million 651 thousand tons of wheat and more than 1 million 60 thousand tons of raw cotton, successfully fulfilling their contractual obligations. There are also good harvests of vegetable and berry crops.

Dear compatriots!

My native people!

Under the motto “The State - for the person!” medical facilities are being built in the capital and regions. After all, the health of the people is the main wealth of our state. That is why we pay special attention to the development of mass physical education, sports, and the Olympic movement.

There is an Olympic town in Ashgabat. In 2017, we held the V Asian indoor and martial arts games here, and in 2018, the world weightlifting Championships. In the coming year, we will also hold the Asian Futsal championship, the international zonal tennis tournament for the Davis Cup and the world Sambo championship.

We attach great importance to the development of education, education of physically and spiritually developed youth with a broad outlook.

The development of our independent state and the well-being of our people are firmly linked to science. Our Fatherland, as a dynamically developing powerful state, is confidently integrated into the world scientific space.

We have clearly defined the main objectives of the foreign policy of our neutral state. Our goal is to strengthen the role of our independent country in the world and bring our relations with other States and international organizations to a qualitatively new level.

The policy pursued by our country enjoys great support from the United Nations. This is evidenced by the fact that Turkmenistan was elected to many UN structures in the past year. On may 28 this year, the General Assembly of the United Nations, on our initiative, adopted a Resolution on cooperation between the UN and the international Fund for saving the Aral Sea, and in September-on declaring 2021 the International year of peace and trust. Interaction with this Organization is a strategic course of our international policy and will remain so in the future.

In 2019, Turkmenistan presided over the Commonwealth of Independent States. During this period, in accordance with our goals to ensure peace, security and sustainable development, events were organized that increased the authority of Turkmenistan in the Commonwealth countries.

In August, we held the first Caspian economic forum and within its framework – the international exhibition of Caspian innovative technologies, as well as the International auto exhibition "Turkmen sahrasy-2019". These important events have become key for further strengthening of cooperation between the Caspian States.

We will continue to work in partnership with international organizations, systematically build up ties with the countries of the world, further strengthening the position and authority of independent Turkmenistan on the world stage.

Dear compatriots!

My native people!

The year 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the Resolution “On the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan”. The neutral legal status of our state, twice recognized by this authoritative structure – is our pride and great asset, our doctrine calling for the triumph of peace, friendship, humanism, and cooperation in the name of progress.

The world community highly appreciates our neutral policy. In 2017, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a Resolution declaring 12 December as the International day of neutrality. This was another convincing evidence of the great support in the world for our foreign policy. And we have every reason to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the permanent neutrality of our sovereign state in 2020.

Dear compatriots!

In 2019, a lot of work has been done to develop the national culture, protect and promote our heritage. One of the clearest evidence of activity in this direction is the inclusion of the Turkmen national art of carpet making in the list of intangible cultural heritage of mankind by UNESCO. This pleasant event for us also took place in 2019. We will continue to pay full attention to the development of national culture as our spiritual wealth.

We declared "Turkmenistan – the homeland of Neutrality"as the motto of 2020.

Dear friends!

In order to improve the welfare of the people and improve their social and living conditions, starting from January 1, 2020, we will increase the salaries of all employees of budget and self-supporting structures, public organizations, pensions and state benefits, scholarships for students and students by 10 percent. We carry out this policy year after year.

Dear compatriots!

My native people!

Very little time is left until the meeting of the New year, 2020. May the New year be a year of peace, prosperity, happiness and great success for all of us! May love, happiness and prosperity reign in your families in the new year!

Dear compatriots!

I congratulate you on the new year, 2020!