The country’s delegation participates in the First Regional Conference in Dushanbe, “One Health for Pandemic Prevention, Food Systems Resilience and Ecosystem Health in Central Asia.”
From October 29 to 31, 2025, the first regional conference and the meeting of the Regional Coordination Council of the “One Health” Program are taking place in Dushanbe.
A representative delegation of key ministries and agencies of Turkmenistan is participating in the conference:
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From the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan – Deputy Minister Nury Jumashov and Director of the “Bereketli-Garagum” Nature Reserve Atamyrat Rejepov
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From the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan – Arslan Soltanmyradov, Head of the Department of International and Scientific Relations of the State Veterinary Service
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From the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan – Ashirmurad Klychev, Head of the Public Health and Nutrition Center, and Maral Chommadova, Deputy Head of the Department for the Prevention of Especially Dangerous Infections
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From the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan – Agamyrat Alybaev, Head of the Department of Health, Sports and Social Protection Financing, and Begench Durdymuradov, Specialist of the Department for Foreign Economic Cooperation
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From the Country Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Turkmenistan — Ayjeren Myratdurdyyeva, Programme Specialist
- From the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Turkmenistan — Rahim Babaliyev, National Coordinator of the “One Health” project. .
The project office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in Turkmenistan is headed by the director of the office, Mergen Kepbanov, at the event.
About the “One Health” Program
The Regional Program “One Health,” implemented by the five Central Asian countries and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) with financial support from the World Bank, the Pandemic Fund, and the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) Program, aims to develop intersectoral cooperation and strengthen the resilience of health, food security, and environmental protection systems.
The Conference as a Platform for Intersectoral Dialogue
The conference in Dushanbe brought together representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, international organizations, research institutes, and civil society to jointly promote the “One Health” approach in the region.
During the official opening session, moderated by Sino Tokhirzoda, Director of the “National Center for Implementation of the Paris Agreement” under the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, welcoming remarks were delivered by Dilrabo Mansouri, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, Najy Benhassine, World Bank Division Director for Central Asia (online format), Aghasi Harutyunyan, Acting Representative of FAO in Tajikistan, and Dr. Batyr Mamedov, Executive Director of CAREC.
Turkmenistan’s Participation in Panel Discussions
During the first panel discussion, “Regional Perspectives on Global Issues and Relevance of ‘One Health’ Approach,” Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan Nury Jumashov spoke on behalf of Turkmenistan. “At the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, His Excellency, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, put forward a number of environmental initiatives, including the establishment of a Regional Center for Combating Desertification for the Central Asian countries, which opens opportunities to unite efforts in addressing ecosystem degradation and water scarcity in the Central Asian region. The second important initiative announced by the esteemed President is the promotion of the Caspian Environmental Initiative, designed to become an international platform for preserving the ecosystem of the Caspian Sea,” said Nury Jumashov in his speech.
In the following days of the conference, Turkmenistan’s representatives will take part in thematic sessions dedicated to sharing experiences in veterinary control, biosafety, response to epidemiological threats, and the integration of environmental aspects into the healthcare system.
The Importance of Regional Cooperation
“Joint actions of the Central Asian countries within the program create a solid foundation for pandemic prevention, the protection of public health, and the preservation of natural ecosystems in the region. He emphasized that an important area of work is the development of national specialists’ capacity, the implementation of effective mechanisms for intersectoral cooperation, and ensuring environmental sustainability,” noted Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan.
The Contribution of the Conference to Strengthening Regional Cooperation
The organization of the first regional conference and the meeting of the Regional Coordination Council will become an important step in the official launch of the “One Health” Program in Central Asia. This event will lay the foundation for long-term cooperation among the region’s countries and define priorities in preventing and responding to threats to human, animal, and environmental health, reaffirming that only joint efforts can ensure sustainable development and security in Central Asia.
Additional Information:
Mergen Kepbanov – Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan