BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 30. Turkmenistan and the
UN ESCAP have discussed expanding economic cooperation and
sustainable development initiatives.


This was reflected in a press release published by the
Turkmenistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 30 following a
meeting between Turkmenistan's Ambassador to Malaysia,
Mukhametniyaz Mashalov, and United Nations Under-Secretary-General
and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) Armida Salsiah
Alisjahbana in Thailand.


"Particular attention was paid to the initiative of the
President of Turkmenistan to establish a Regional Centre for
Combating Desertification for the countries of Central Asia in
Ashgabat," the ministry said.


The sides reviewed the current state of cooperation between
Turkmenistan and UN ESCAP and discussed opportunities to deepen
partnership in sustainable development, economic cooperation,
climate change adaptation and efforts to combat desertification,
the report says.







They also highlighted the importance of participation by a
high-level Turkmen delegation in the 17th Conference of the Parties
(COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification,
scheduled to take place in Mongolia in August 2026, as well as the
83rd session of UN ESCAP, due to be held in Shanghai in April
2027.


Meanwhile, cooperation between Turkmenistan and UN ESCAP has
expanded steadily in recent years, with a growing focus on
sustainable transport, trade facilitation, digital connectivity and
climate resilience. In April 2025, the UN General Assembly
proclaimed the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026-2035) at
Turkmenistan's initiative, assigning UN ESCAP an important role in
advancing transport connectivity and sustainable infrastructure
across the Asia-Pacific region. Ashgabat has also been actively
promoting regional initiatives on transport, energy security and
environmental sustainability through the commission.


In January 2026, a delegation headed by Shombi Sharp, Deputy
Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, visited Turkmenistan as part of the
SPECA Economic Forum held on January 21-22 in Ashgabat. This event
was a key component of SPECA Week, organized under the United
Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia
(SPECA).