Ambassador of Turkmenistan Meets with Senior Official of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment

Ambassador Sapar Palvanov met with Mr. Patrick Child, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV).

During the constructive exchange, the parties discussed prospects for deepening cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Union in the fields of environmental protection and sustainable management of natural resources. It was noted that elevating EU–Central Asia cooperation to a strategic level creates favorable conditions for intensifying bilateral engagement, including at the high level.

The Ambassador emphasized that the European Union is among the key foreign policy priorities of Turkmenistan, and in this context, particular attention is given to developing practical cooperation, including in the environmental domain.

It was also noted that environmental and climate issues are gaining increasing importance in the development agenda of Central Asian countries, complementing the existing priorities of cooperation.

Special attention was given to water resources, which are becoming one of the key factors for sustainable development in the region. It was highlighted that the economies of Central Asian countries, including Turkmenistan, largely depend on water availability, particularly in agriculture. In this regard, the growing pressure on water systems requires a science-based approach, the introduction of modern technologies, and an expanded exchange of best international practices.

The Ambassador also recalled Turkmenistan’s initiative to establish a Regional Climate Technology Center for Central Asia. It was emphasized that this center could serve as a platform for environmental monitoring, scientific research, risk assessment, as well as for data sharing and the exchange of best practices with the participation of international partners, including the European Union.

A separate emphasis was placed on the need for further institutionalization of cooperation. The Ambassador underlined the importance of developing more structured mechanisms of interaction between relevant institutions of Turkmenistan and the European Union, including the possibility of elaborating framework arrangements or roadmaps aimed at advancing practical cooperation in the environmental field.

Mr. Patrick Child, for his part, welcomed Turkmenistan’s interest in enhancing cooperation on environmental protection, particularly in the area of water resilience, which holds an important place in the European Union’s agenda. He noted that the European Commission is actively advancing related areas, including the implementation of its water resilience strategy, as well as expert-level and regional cooperation formats.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their mutual interest in further developing cooperation, expressed readiness to expand expert-level contacts, and to continue a practical, results-oriented dialogue aimed at implementing joint initiatives in environmental protection and sustainable development.