(Dushanbe, October 10, 2025)

Dear Heads of State!

First of all, let me express my gratitude to the esteemed President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Sharipovich Rahmon, for his hospitality and the conditions he created for our work.

Against the backdrop of current challenging trends in international politics, the Commonwealth of Independent States maintains its status as a format for respectful and equal interaction. Its members maintain a structured dialogue on foreign policy, economic, trade, humanitarian, and other areas.

Mechanisms for intergovernmental and interdepartmental meetings have been streamlined. Cultural cooperation is developing. The scope of the CIS's participation in the work of other multilateral structures and associations is significantly expanding.

All this speaks to the Commonwealth's significant potential as an effective partnership mechanism that meets the interests of our peoples.

Undoubtedly, one of the most important tasks of our activities has been and remains maintaining a sustainable system of security and stability within the CIS. Turkmenistan believes that all participating states, without exception, are interested in good-neighborliness, harmony, and mutual understanding as the defining characteristics of relations between our countries.

In this regard, it is important to note the importance of regularly holding political and diplomatic consultations within the CIS, which enable a useful exchange of views. Such meetings help better understand the positions, assessments, and concerns of partners, and often lead to mutually agreed-upon solutions. Turkmenistan supports the development of such consultations and the expansion of their scope, primarily in light of current serious challenges.

In this context, we consider upholding international law and the United Nations Charter to be one of the CIS's key foreign policy objectives. The need to protect and strengthen international law was clearly stated by Turkmenistan at the current General Assembly session.

We also believe that it is necessary to make maximum use of the opportunities that are opening up in connection with the adoption of the General Assembly Resolution “Cooperation between the UN and the CIS” on August 6, 2025.

We propose instructing our foreign policy agencies to begin coordinated and active work within the UN on this agenda, develop a consultation mechanism, and ensure the involvement of the widest possible number of UN member states.

We consider the economy to be a priority area for the application of efforts and potential within the CIS.

In today's geoeconomic realities, strengthening the economic and industrial might of the CIS and transforming it into a strong and profitable partner for other countries and associations is an urgent task. Its solution will not only allow for the dynamic development of economic ties within the Commonwealth, but also ensure the CIS's strong position in Eurasia, enable long-term planning and participation in major continental, regional, and international projects, and help create modern transport and energy infrastructure, industrial and technological partnership zones.

The main guideline here is the CIS Economic Development Strategy to 2030. Turkmenistan believes that it should be fully implemented, supported and nurtured by the ongoing support of the political leadership of our countries, and considered a strategic objective for joint development and cooperation.

We pay special attention to the transport component. Today, viable transport and logistics routes are being created along the North-South and East-West lines. Their configuration covers virtually the entire CIS. This opens up excellent opportunities for our countries to become key links in transcontinental communications, leveraging not only their objective geographic advantages but also their competencies, experience, production, technological, and service capabilities to participate in these projects based on modern principles and criteria.

In this regard, Turkmenistan places particular emphasis on the importance of Central Asia and the Caspian region as key logistics hubs and a connecting space in Eurasia. It is convinced that its effective use meets the economic, trade, investment, and logistics interests and needs of all CIS countries.

It's no coincidence that the Caspian Sea was actively discussed at the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries held in Turkmenistan this August. It was emphasized that the Caspian's transit and logistics potential is acquiring a global dimension. The Caspian region will be the main arteries of Eurasian transport, both vertically and horizontally, from the Asia-Pacific region to Europe and the Middle East, from Russia to the South, to Iran, India, and the Gulf states. It is essential that Commonwealth countries fully participate in the development of a Caspian logistics hub, establishing and strengthening their positions in this project on a mutually beneficial and coordinated basis. As we have repeatedly stated, Turkmenistan is ready to contribute to this goal and to discuss with its partners the possibilities of using its port infrastructure on the Caspian Sea for the common benefit.

Our country also pays attention to such significant aspects of cooperation as mutual trade, the creation of industrial and technological chains, and the development of joint production projects with the participation of Commonwealth countries.

In the face of increasingly fierce competition in global markets and trends of economic protectionism, we – the CIS countries – need to ensure reliable and long-term guarantees for the sustainability of our own development and create strong and effective partnership models that utilize our objective advantages – historical and structural.

Technological and innovative components are crucial factors in the CIS's economic dynamism and competitiveness. We believe that this area now requires particular emphasis, the initiation of real, substantive technological partnerships, and the establishment of a systematic exchange of knowledge and expertise. We attach central importance to scientific and technical dialogue within the CIS in this process. It is necessary to clearly direct and instruct the relevant bodies of the Commonwealth to actively promote the enhancement of the role of the CIS's basic scientific, technical and technological institutions, and to encourage their participation in intergovernmental and interdepartmental contacts and decision-making.

Traditionally, the cultural and humanitarian spheres hold a special place in the cooperation between our countries. This not only promotes a better understanding and knowledge of each other, but also strengthens fundamental values and sound moral and ethical guidelines in our countries and in the public consciousness. The cultural heritage of the peoples of the Commonwealth is the intellectual and spiritual foundation of social, political, and social development.

Turkmenistan is firmly committed to the broadest possible cooperation among CIS countries in cultural, scientific, educational, and sports fields. We will continue to support such ties.

Dear heads of state!

As you know, this year Turkmenistan celebrates a historic event – the 30th anniversary of our country's permanent neutrality. It's worth recalling that the CIS countries were at the forefront of its international recognition and actively promoted it at the UN and other international organizations and forums.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to once again invite the heads of state of the Commonwealth to the celebrations dedicated to the anniversary, which will be held in Ashgabat.

On December 12 of this year, as well as at the International Forum on Peace and Trust. Your participation in these significant events will be a significant contribution to their success and will be highly valued by the people of Turkmenistan.

In conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the esteemed Emomali Sharipovich Rahmon, for his country’s skillful chairmanship of the CIS this year.

I would like to express my gratitude to CIS Secretary General Sergei Nikolaevich Lebedev for his effective coordination of the activities of the Commonwealth's bodies and his significant contribution to the current Summit.