On March 17, 2026, a meeting was held between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Ahmet Gurbanov, and the Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Ambassador Kairat Sarybay.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Turkmen side warmly welcomed the guest and expressed gratitude for his participation in the International Forum held in Ashgabat on December 12, 2025, dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust, International Neutrality Day, and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent Neutrality.

During the talks, the parties discussed the current state and prospects of cooperation between Turkmenistan and CICA. It was emphasized that Turkmenistan, having held observer status in CICA since 2021, supports the organization’s goals and objectives aimed at strengthening peace, security, and confidence in the Asian space.

Special attention was paid to initiatives for developing regional and interregional cooperation, including the proposal to establish a permanent forum on security, peace, and development in Central Asia.

Promising areas of partnership discussed included developing a dialogue between CICA and the Group of Friends of Neutrality, cooperation in energy, transport, and ecology sectors, as well as the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

The importance of cooperation regarding the stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan, providing humanitarian and economic assistance to its people, and ensuring food security was also noted.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their interest in further developing cooperation within the framework of CICA.