In recent years, water resources have become one of the important conditions for the development of productive forces. Neutral Turkmenistan, recognizing the implementation of water diplomacy norms as one of the important directions of its foreign policy activity, being one of the first countries to join the Sustainable Development Goals, puts forward effective proposals on water diplomacy. At the World Water Forum held in Daegu, South Korea, in 2015, the President of Turkmenistan noted that a new direction is emerging in diplomacy – that is water diplomacy. In September 2018, the President of Turkmenistan addressed the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly and emphasized the importance of water issues. At the Rio+20 World Summit, the International Conference “Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028” held in Tajikistan, as well as at the UN General Assembly meetings, Turkmenistan has put forward initiatives related to water issues and is taking concrete steps in this direction.

       Turkmenistan, consistently implementing a foreign policy based on positive neutrality, good-neighborliness, equality and mutually beneficial cooperation, is in favor of strengthening and developing positive cooperation in the Caspian region both bilaterally and multilaterally. Issues related to the Caspian region are one of the important areas of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy strategy implemented under the leadership of the distinguished President. This is evidenced by Turkmenistan's specific proposals on Caspian issues and its initiatives to create an appropriate legal framework. Referring to the history of the negotiation process in this area, it should be noted that the initiative of the Turkmen side made it possible to resolve many topical issues on the Caspian Sea. In 1996, it was in Ashgabat that a meeting of foreign ministers of the Caspian littoral states took place, where the organizational and legal form of the negotiation mechanism for the development of a Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, operating on a systematic basis, was determined in the form of an Ad Hoc Working Group. Given the current circumstances and the need to continue the ongoing negotiations, Turkmenistan has taken the initiative to hold a Summit of the heads of State of the Caspian littoral countries. The first such Summit was held in the capital of Turkmenistan in 2002. The Ashgabat Summit became a starting point for determining the priority vectors of fruitful cooperation for the near and long term. The negotiations initiated in our country were later actually continued and held in Tehran, Baku and Astrakhan in 2007, 2010 and 2014 respectively. Speaking at these meetings, Hero-Arkadag reaffirmed that Turkmenistan has always taken and will continue to take an active position in the Caspian Sea issues in order to ensure peace, security and stability in the region, strengthen relations of friendship, good-neighborliness and broad cooperation between the littoral states and their peoples.

       Over the years, Turkmenistan has been the venue for regular meetings and forums on the Caspian Sea, including meetings of the above-mentioned Ad Hoc Working Group, authorized representatives of the Caspian littoral states, as well as hosted international conferences, seminars and trainings. Caspian Sea Day is widely celebrated on 12 August each year.

       As the Leader of the Nation notes, the territories of the five Caspian littoral countries are a natural geographical space linking Asia with Europe and ensuring the effective functioning of transport-transit and trade corridors and the optimization of cargo flows in the East-West and North-South directions. In this context, the commissioning of the new Turkmenbashy International Sea Port was a landmark event. This large-scale infrastructure project is indeed of strategic importance for all countries of Central Asia and the Caspian Basin, as its implementation contributes to further integration of the states of the above-mentioned regions into the system of world economic relations, strengthening the role of the Caspian Sea as an important transport and logistics hub on the route of the Great Silk Road, which is currently being revived.

       Among the important events on Caspian issues, the V Summit of the Heads of State of the Caspian region held in Aktau, Republic of Kazakhstan, on 12 August 2018 should be noted. Along with priority issues, the Summit’s agenda included such important issues as the legal status of the Caspian Sea, economy, transport, ecology, and ensuring security in the Caspian Sea. In continuation of the five-sided extended summit, very difficult and painstaking work on the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea has been completed and a very important document - the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea – has been signed.

       Considering the work carried out by our country in this direction, it is worth noting that the first Caspian Economic Forum was held in Turkmenistan in August 2019. Holding such a forum on a regular basis, alternately in each of the Caspian littoral states, has become a permanent platform for multilateral economic dialogue with broad participation of members of the governments, business and academic circles, and representatives of international organizations.

       Also, our country, in order to prevent water shortages and climate change in the world, puts forward initiatives on the Aral Sea within the framework of water diplomacy issues. Currently, the work of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea is of great importance in solving water problems. From this point of view, a Concept was developed, consisting of the main areas of work that will be carried out by Turkmenistan during its chairmanship of the Fund. The main goals of the country’s chairmanship of this Fund are to improve the socio-economic and environmental conditions of the countries of the Aral Sea region, ensure rational use of water resources in the region and protect the environment at a high level.

       Currently, the solution to the Aral Sea problem is of great importance. In this regard, this issue is approached comprehensively and systematically with the participation of the UN. The unanimous adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Resolution “Cooperation between the United Nations and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea” at the initiative of Turkmenistan on April 18, 2018 became a solid foundation in this regard. In the same year, a meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was held in Ashgabat. This forum was organized by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan in cooperation with the Regional Program of the German Society for International Cooperation GIZ “Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia” and the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC). During the meeting, plans were agreed upon to expand cooperation between international and regional organizations, financial institutions, including investor countries. In addition, in August 2018, the Summit of Heads of State – Founders of IFAS was held in the “Avaza” National Tourist Zone. At the meeting, the improvement of the environmental situation in the Aral Sea region, further strengthening and development of effective cooperation in the field of environmental protection and rational use of water resources were identified as priority tasks.

       By supporting the UN water initiatives, our country is taking important steps in this direction. In this regard, one of the important tasks is the construction of the Turkmen Lake “Altyn Asyr”, which is being implemented in the center of the Karakum Desert to collect rainwater from all regions of the country. This artificial lake is filled with wastewater generated by irrigation. If earlier these waters flooded meadows and flowed into the Amu Darya and the Karakum Desert, now, with the implementation of this grand project, Turkmenistan will become the first in the region to set an example of environmental protection. In accordance with the draft Concept for the Development of the Territories of the Turkmen Lake “Altyn Asyr” for 2019–2025, a set of specific measures is envisaged to expand pastures, develop new irrigated lands, create and irrigate forest zones. The creation of such a large artificial reservoir in the Karakum Desert will help meet the needs of the country’s regions for water and solve problems associated with preventing droughts.

       Efficient use of water resources in the country is one of the priorities of state policy. Our esteemed President signed a number of documents in this area, and the legal framework for the use of water resources was strengthened. Among them, in particular, we can note the Water Code, the “General Program for Providing Clean Drinking Water to Populated Areas of Turkmenistan”, the Law of Turkmenistan “On Drinking Water”.

       Thus, under the wise leadership of our esteemed President, Turkmenistan’s activities to solve water problems in the world and the region, the efficient use of water resources are a clear indication of the country’s important initiatives in the field of water diplomacy. Such work will create favorable conditions for strengthening the sustainability of environmental well-being, preventing climate change, and positively solving water resource problems in the country and around the world.