Tariq Saeedi
As Turkmenistan prepares to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its permanent neutrality with an international conference in Ashgabat on 12 December 2025, the world has an opportunity to reassess this unique status not as a passive stance, but as an active strategic choice that creates tangible benefits for humanity and the planet.
Far from being a retreat from global engagement, Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality has evolved into a dynamic framework that enables meaningful progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and contributes to building a more sustainable planet Earth.
Neutrality as Strategic Enabler, Not Strategic Withdrawal
The permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan, recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in 1995, represents a deliberate strategic choice to position the country as a bridge rather than a barrier in international relations. This status is not about non-participation but about creating an enabling space where dialogue can flourish, partnerships can form across geopolitical divides, and collaborative solutions to shared challenges can emerge.
In an era of increasing polarization and bloc politics, neutral ground has become increasingly valuable.
Turkmenistan’s neutrality allows it to maintain constructive relationships with all major powers simultaneously, facilitating cooperation on issues that transcend political boundaries. This is particularly crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which require unprecedented levels of international cooperation and cannot be accomplished within the confines of competing geopolitical camps.
Creating Space for SDG Achievement
The connection between permanent neutrality and sustainable development is neither abstract nor coincidental.
Neutrality creates specific conditions that accelerate progress toward multiple SDGs:
Peace and Partnerships (SDGs 16 and 17): By maintaining a neutral platform, Turkmenistan provides a space where nations with strained bilateral relations can engage in dialogue and cooperation. The country has hosted numerous international conferences, forums, and negotiations that bring together diverse stakeholders. This facilitation role directly supports SDG 16’s goal of peaceful and inclusive societies and SDG 17’s emphasis on partnerships for achieving the goals.
Energy Security and Clean Energy (SDG 7): Turkmenistan’s neutral status has enabled it to develop energy cooperation frameworks that cross traditional geopolitical boundaries. The country’s position allows it to participate in regional energy projects that enhance energy security while also investing in renewable energy development. Neutral countries can serve as reliable energy transit routes and partners, contributing to affordable and clean energy access across regions.
Regional Connectivity and Infrastructure (SDG 9): The neutral status facilitates the development of transport corridors and infrastructure projects that might otherwise be complicated by geopolitical tensions. Turkmenistan’s participation in regional connectivity initiatives demonstrates how neutrality can be leveraged to build sustainable infrastructure that benefits entire regions, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization.
Climate Action (SDG 13): Climate change recognizes no borders or political allegiances. Turkmenistan’s neutrality positions it to engage with all parties in climate negotiations and to participate in diverse climate initiatives without the constraints of bloc politics. This creates opportunities for knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and collaborative climate action that transcends geopolitical divisions.
The Dynamic Nature of Contemporary Neutrality
Turkmenistan’s approach to permanent neutrality over the past three decades demonstrates that this status is far from static. It has evolved into an active, dynamic framework that responds to contemporary global challenges while maintaining its core principles.
This evolution reflects several key characteristics:
Proactive Diplomacy: Rather than remaining on the sidelines, Turkmenistan has actively engaged in international organizations, regional forums, and multilateral initiatives. The country has used its neutral platform to advocate for peaceful resolution of conflicts, promote dialogue, and advance humanitarian causes. This proactive stance shows that neutrality can be a tool for positive influence rather than mere non-alignment.
Selective Engagement: Dynamic neutrality means engaging strategically on issues that benefit humanity while maintaining independence from military blocs and political camps. Turkmenistan has demonstrated this through its participation in various UN initiatives, regional economic cooperation, and humanitarian projects, all while preserving its neutral status.
Bridge-Building Function: In an increasingly multipolar world, neutral states serve a crucial bridge-building function. They can facilitate cooperation between competing powers, host dialogues that might be difficult in other venues, and provide models for coexistence that don’t require ideological alignment. This function becomes more valuable as global challenges require collective action across political divides.
Benefits for Humanity and the Planet
The strategic value of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality extends beyond national interests to create broader benefits for humanity and the planet:
Conflict Prevention and Mediation: Neutral states can serve as mediators and facilitators in regional conflicts, providing venues for dialogue and negotiation. By maintaining relationships with all parties, neutral countries can help de-escalate tensions and find peaceful solutions, contributing directly to global peace and stability.
Knowledge and Resource Sharing: Neutrality creates an environment conducive to the exchange of knowledge, technology, and resources across geopolitical boundaries. This is essential for addressing global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and sustainable development, which require the pooling of expertise and resources from all nations regardless of their political alignments.
Model for Coexistence: In a world often divided by ideological and political differences, neutral states demonstrate that it is possible to maintain sovereignty and pursue national interests while remaining engaged with the international community on constructive terms. This model of coexistence is increasingly relevant as the world seeks pathways beyond zero-sum geopolitics.
Stability in Volatile Regions: Regional stability is a prerequisite for sustainable development. Neutral states contribute to this stability by refusing to become theaters for great power competition and by maintaining balanced relationships with neighboring countries. This stability creates the conditions necessary for long-term development planning and investment in sustainable infrastructure.
The December 12 Conference: Looking Forward
The international conference on 12 December 2025 in Ashgabat comes at a critical juncture for both Turkmenistan and the world. As the international community faces mounting challenges including climate change, energy transitions, regional conflicts, and the urgent need to accelerate progress on the SDGs, the role of neutral states deserves renewed attention and appreciation.
This conference offers an opportunity to articulate a forward-looking vision for how permanent neutrality can contribute to addressing contemporary global challenges. It is a moment to demonstrate that neutrality in the 21st century is not about standing apart but about creating space for cooperation that serves the common good.
The discussions in Ashgabat should focus on how neutral states can enhance their contributions to the SDGs, facilitate dialogue on contentious issues, promote regional connectivity and cooperation, and serve as laboratories for innovative approaches to global challenges. The conference can help develop a framework for “active neutrality” that other nations might consider as a pathway to sustainable development.
Neutrality as Strategic Choice for a Sustainable Planet
Thirty years of permanent neutrality have demonstrated that this status, when pursued actively and strategically, creates genuine benefits that extend far beyond national borders.
Turkmenistan’s experience shows that neutrality is not a luxury afforded to countries that wish to avoid global responsibilities but a strategic choice that enables unique contributions to international peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.
As the world struggles to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a sustainable planet Earth, the value of neutral spaces where cooperation can flourish becomes increasingly apparent. The permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan represents a commitment to creating and maintaining such spaces, serving as a bridge between nations, a facilitator of dialogue, and a partner in addressing shared challenges.
The 30th anniversary celebration is not merely a retrospective on three decades of neutrality but an opportunity to look forward and articulate how this strategic choice can contribute to building the sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous world envisioned in the SDGs.
In an age of division and discord, the example of permanent neutrality offers a pathway toward cooperation and collective action for the benefit of humanity and the planet we all share. /// nCa, 9 December 2025