BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has invited Turkmen President Serdar
Berdimuhamedov to the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya on November
11-12.


Erdogan extended the invitation in a birthday message to
Berdimuhamedov, according to a press release issued by the press
service of the Turkmen government.


“I will be pleased to see Your Excellency at the COP31 Leaders'
Summit, which will be held on November 11-12, 2026, in Antalya,”
Erdogan said.


In his message, the Turkish president also noted the development
of relations between Turkmenistan and Türkiye, citing their common
linguistic, cultural, religious and historical ties.


Erdogan said bilateral relations were developing both at the
bilateral level and through multilateral platforms, including the
Organization of Turkic States.


Turkmenistan and Türkiye established diplomatic relations
shortly after Turkmenistan gained independence. Türkiye was the
first country to recognize Turkmenistan on October 27, 1991, and
opened its embassy in Ashgabat in February 1992. The two countries
cooperate in political, economic, cultural and educational areas,
while Türkiye supports Turkmenistan's policy of permanent
neutrality.







Economic ties are an important part of the bilateral
relationship. According to Türkiye's Foreign Ministry, bilateral
trade reached $2.2 billion in 2025, including $1.3 billion in
Turkish exports to Turkmenistan and $860 million in imports. The
two countries’ presidents have set a goal to bolster the bilateral
trade value to $5 billion in near term. Turkish companies have also
been active in Turkmenistan's construction and industrial sectors,
with more than 1,000 projects worth over $54 billion completed
since the country's independence.


Energy and transport have become increasingly important areas of
cooperation. In June 2026, the ninth meeting of the
Intergovernmental Turkmen-Turkish Commission on Economic
Cooperation identified transport and logistics as a key area, with
discussions focusing on infrastructure connecting Central Asia and
Europe. Energy cooperation was also discussed, alongside
construction, building materials, food production and
agriculture.


For reference, COP31 is the 31st session of the Conference of
the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). The COP is the convention's main decision-making body,
bringing together countries that are parties to the UN climate
framework to review implementation and adopt decisions on
international climate action.


COP31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20,
2026, with the main venue at the Antalya EXPO Center. The
conference will include negotiations under the UNFCCC, the Kyoto
Protocol and the Paris Agreement, as well as the World Climate
Action Summit, country pavilions and other official and side
events.