On April 29, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov received Barry Faure, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of the Republic of Seychelles. This visit marked the first official visit by a Seychelles foreign minister to our country in the history of bilateral relations, marking the transition to an active phase of our long-term partnership.

During the conversation with the head of state, Barry Faure conveyed warm greetings from Seychelles President Patrick Herminie, emphasizing his country's keen interest in the experience of dynamically developing Turkmenistan.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov outlined specific areas where Turkmenistan's export potential could become a growth area for bilateral relations. These include the fuel and energy sector, the chemical and textile industries, and agriculture.

Particular emphasis was placed on the humanitarian sector: Seychelles, as a global tourism hub, and Turkmenistan, which is developing its own tourism infrastructure, see enormous potential in exchanging experiences and developing mutual flows.

A detailed discussion of cooperation mechanisms continued at the Foreign Ministry building during a meeting with Turkmenistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov. The Turkmen side invited the Republic of Seychelles to join the Group of Friends of Neutrality, an international platform created to strengthen global peace and security.

The diplomats agreed that the current legal framework needs to be expanded. A series of business forums and exhibitions are planned to reinvigorate business contacts. Equally ambitious plans have been announced in the cultural sphere: the parties are discussing the possibility of holding Culture Days in Ashgabat and Victoria, which will allow the peoples of the two countries to become closer despite their geographical distance.

This visit clearly confirms that Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality remains an effective bridge for establishing dialogue with diverse regions of the world, turning remote islands into promising partners.

The current visit by Barry Faure, who took over as Seychelles' Foreign Minister in November last year, is part of his diplomatic tour of the region.

Turkmenistan and the Seychelles established diplomatic relations in August 2024.