CIS Leaders to Meet in Turkmenistan: What Will Presidents Discuss in Avaza?

The meeting will take place under Turkmenistan’s chairmanship of the CIS. The main focus will be on reviewing the results of cooperation among the member states and setting priorities for further joint work.

The meeting will bring together the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The meeting will be chaired by Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. According to the CIS Executive Committee, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected to attend the summit.

What will be discussed

One of the main topics will be the 35th anniversary of the CIS. In 2026, the Commonwealth marks 35 years since its establishment, giving the leaders an opportunity to review multilateral cooperation and set priorities for the years ahead.

The agenda will also cover current international and regional issues, as well as further cooperation in the political, economic, law enforcement, cultural and humanitarian, and information spheres.

Particular attention will be paid to information security and combating cybercrime. The CIS has prepared a number of documents aimed at strengthening cooperation among law enforcement agencies and improving information exchange.

Another key area is transport connectivity. As part of preparations for the summit, a proposal was put forward to declare 2029 the Year of Transport Connectivity of the CIS.

CIS Foreign Ministers meet ahead of the summit

Preparations for the leaders’ meeting continued on October 7, when the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers met in Avaza.

The meeting brought together foreign ministers and representatives of the CIS member states, as well as CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev. The meeting was chaired by Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov.

The ministers discussed preparations for the heads of state meeting, current international issues and cooperation within the CIS. They also agreed on a number of documents outlining the organization’s further work.

Among them was a joint statement supporting practical steps to prevent an arms race in outer space. The ministers also approved cooperation plans in sports, youth policy and tourism, and agreed to establish new basic organizations within the CIS.

They also approved the Plan for Multilevel Inter-Foreign Ministry Political Consultations for 2027, which provides for continued coordination of the CIS countries’ foreign policy positions.

Transport connectivity – one of the key topics

One of the key decisions taken ahead of the summit was to declare 2029 the Year of Transport Connectivity of the CIS. The initiative was adopted at the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers meeting on October 7.

For Central Asian countries, the issue is particularly important as railway and multimodal routes connecting the region with the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus, Russia, China and other markets continue to develop.

Tourism and humanitarian cooperation

The CIS agenda also includes humanitarian cooperation. Foreign ministers approved an action plan to implement the strategy for cooperation in tourism, as well as plans for youth policy and sports.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is in Turkmenistan on a working visit from October 7 to 9. In Avaza, he will take part in the eighth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, as well as the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting.

The CIS leaders’ meeting is part of a broader international programme taking place in Avaza from October 7 to 9.

On October 9, alongside the CIS summit, the Caspian Environmental Summit and an exhibition featuring the CIS countries and Iran are also scheduled to take place.

Source: The Executive Committeeof the Commonwealth of Independent States

Electronic newspaper «Golden age»

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan

Official Website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan