Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – 17 November 2025 – A two-day seminar titled “Building Capacity in Environmental and Health Protection within the One Health Approach” has commenced.
The event is organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Turkmenistan in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan.
On 17–18 November, international and national partners working at the intersection of health, environment, agriculture, and socio-economic development are discussing key national priorities in environmental and health protection, opportunities to integrate them into the “One Health” approach, as well as global and regional trends in this field. Particular attention is given to strengthening interagency coordination and enhancing national capacity to respond to environmental and sanitary-epidemiological challenges.
The opening session was attended by representatives of the quadripartite alliance: the World Health Organization (WHO) in Turkmenistan, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Sub-Regional Representation for Central Asia, and the National Correspondent of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In their opening remarks, representatives of international organizations emphasized the importance of the comprehensive One Health approach aimed at preventing risks at the human–animal–environment interface, as well as the need to strengthen national capacity and interagency coordination.
Representatives of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, and the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan also delivered remarks, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation on health and environmental issues. In their statements, government representatives reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s commitment to the principles of sustainable development, underlined the significance of interagency coordination for effective responses to sanitary-epidemiological challenges, and noted the ongoing collaboration with international partners in advancing the “One Health” approach.
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) is represented at the seminar by Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, and Maral Chommadova, CAREC Regional Expert on the “One Health” project.
“It is a great honor for me to represent CAREC at this seminar. Such meetings help us strengthen dialogue among sectors and develop joint approaches to health and environmental issues,” noted Mergen Kepbanov.
The seminar aims to enhance national capacity further, strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation, and expand practical mechanisms for collaboration, which are essential for sustainable development and effective responses to current environmental and sanitary challenges.
Additional information:
Mergen Kepbanov – Director of the CAREC Project office in Turkmenistan, turkmenistan@carececo.org