The Director of the Project Office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan shared the outcomes of the events held on August 12, 2025, in the National Tourist Zone “Avaza” in the city of Turkmenbashi, dedicated to the International Caspian Sea Day.
“This event holds special significance for all Caspian littoral states. It strengthens partnerships, opens new opportunities for environmental cooperation, and underscores our shared responsibility to preserve the unique marine ecosystem,” noted Mergen Kepbanov.
The highlight of the programme was the scientific-practical conference “The Caspian Sea – the Sea of Friendship and Peace”, moderated by the Director of the Caspian Sea Institute, Myrat Atajanov. The event opened with the reading of a welcome address from the esteemed President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who called for consolidating the efforts of all Caspian littoral states in protecting the natural and economic potential of the Caspian Sea. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, in his speech, emphasised the country’s active role in implementing the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Aquatic Biological Resources of the Caspian Sea and in promoting the Caspian Environmental Initiative, presented by the President of Turkmenistan at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.
Speakers included Gismat Fuzuli oglu Gozalov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan, Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nurlan Nogayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Pyotr Shchukin, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, Mahir Aliyev, Representative of the UNEP Regional Office, Narine Sahakyan, UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan, Beata Pęksa, Ambassador of the European Union to Turkmenistan, William Leaf, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Joachim Fritz, Coordinator of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Timur Dosmammedov, Head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Country Office, and Norman Martinez Gutierrez, Director of the International Maritime Law Institute, who spoke via video link.
Turkmen specialists also delivered reports: Berdi Berdiev, Head of the Department for International Environmental Cooperation and Projects of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Gurbangozel Orazdurdiyeva, National Focal Point for interaction with the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention, Juma Saparmuradov, Scientific Secretary of the National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna, Serdar Eyeberenov, Head of the Hydrometeorology Department, along with other experts who presented analytical reviews and practical proposals for the preservation of the Caspian marine environment.
The event also featured a thematic exhibition dedicated to the nature of the Caspian Sea, while the cultural programme included sporting competitions and friendly networking among participants.
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) made a significant contribution to the organisation of the event. CAREC, including its project office in Turkmenistan, continues to strengthen the platform for exchanging scientific data and best practices on Caspian conservation. Such events are viewed as a key tool for coordinated action in the interests of sustainable regional development.
The International Caspian Sea Day has been celebrated since 2007 in honour of the entry into force on August 12, 2006, of the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea. This date has become a symbol of environmental responsibility and cooperation, as well as an annual reminder of the need for careful treatment of this unique sea, which has no outlet to the world ocean.
At the conclusion of the forum, participants reaffirmed that the Caspian Sea should remain a space of friendship and peace, and called for continued joint efforts to protect and sustainably use its natural resources.
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Additional information:
Mergen Kepbanov – Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, turkmenistan@carececo.org