On 1 July 2026, negotiations were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan between Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and his Kazakh counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yermek Kosherbayev. On the same day, a regular round of Turkmen-Kazakh political consultations between the two ministries took place.
During the meeting, the ministers noted that thanks to a trust-based dialogue and the mutual political will of the two heads of state, the strategic partnership between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan continues on an upward trajectory.
Meredov and Kosherbayev discussed a wide range of bilateral cooperation issues, including the further strengthening of political dialogue, as well as the expansion of trade, economic, investment, transport, logistics, energy, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation.
The diplomats reviewed in detail the implementation progress of agreements previously reached at the highest level.
Turning to regional and international agendas, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to mutually supporting the initiatives and proposals of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan within the United Nations and other leading global platforms.
The sides also focused on preparations for major upcoming high-level international events scheduled to take place in Turkmenistan later this year.
Special attention was paid to joint efforts aimed at strengthening peace, security, and sustainable development in Central Asia, alongside cooperation on the stabilization and development of Afghanistan.
Addressing trade and economic cooperation, the parties highlighted the importance of boosting ties in the transport, logistics, energy, and industrial sectors.
It was noted that in the first four months of 2026, bilateral trade volume increased by 6.8%, reaching approximately US $180 million. In line with directives from their respective heads of state, both sides confirmed their readiness to elevate the mutual trade to US $1 billion.
The ministers highly praised the outcomes of the 14th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, Cultural, and Humanitarian Cooperation, held on 24 June in Astana, noting its vital role in advancing joint projects.
Prospects for expanding cultural and humanitarian ties as a cornerstone of long-term relations between the two nations were also discussed. The ministers reviewed measures to enhance interaction in the fields of education, science, culture, and healthcare.
Water cooperation and climate change issues formed another key pillar of the talks. The parties engaged in detailed discussions regarding cooperation within the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and aligned their positions on Caspian Sea issues.
Following the negotiations, the Ministers signed the Cooperation Program between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the 2027–2028 period. /// nCa, 1 July 2026 (based on press releases issued by MFA Turkmenistan and MFA Kazakhstan)