Turkmenistan’s Ambassador to China, Parahat Durdyyev, met with SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev in Beijing to discuss expanding cooperation between Ashgabat and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The talks focused on deepening ties in economic sphere including in transport, trade, and other priority issues on the current agenda.
Ambassador Durdyyev briefed the SCO chief on upcoming events planned by Turkmenistan in 2026, as well as preparations for the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence.
Durdyyev reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s firm intention to further develop multifaceted partnership with the SCO. Both sides emphasized the importance of Eurasian regional cooperation in maintaining peace and stability, strengthening trade-economic and cultural links, and protecting the environment.
In turn, Secretary-General Yermekbayev thanked Turkmenistan for its consistent interest in SCO activities and commended Ashgabat’s active participation in the organization’s events. He also informed the ambassador about the key outcomes of the SCO Summit held in Tianjin on September 1, 2025.
Yermekbayev expressed gratitude for the invitation to participate in the Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality status. He warmly recalled his meeting with the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides exchanged views on the substantial potential for advancing mutually beneficial cooperation between Turkmenistan and the SCO in trade-economic, transport-logistics, and humanitarian spheres.
The discussion underscores Turkmenistan’s ongoing engagement with the SCO despite its neutral status and observer role in the organization. /// nCa, 20 January 2026 (based on the press releases issued by MFA Turkmenistan and SCO)