At a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Friday, May 8, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov reported on the ongoing work to improve the activities of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (IIR MFA) and presented a draft resolution on the opening of a new department to the head of state for his consideration.

The document, approved by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, is the first practical step toward implementing a large-scale initiative to establish a University of Peace and Neutrality, proposed by the head of state at the International Forum on December 12, 2025. The idea, which has received broad international support and was disseminated as a document of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, envisions the establishment of the University in close cooperation with the United Nations.

As a first step, the President of Turkmenistan decreed the opening of a new specialized Department for Peace and Neutrality at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year, this department will offer master's degree programs.

The project envisions close international collaboration: the newly created department has been tasked with exploring the possibility of concluding a Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica.

The decree by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov also instructs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, together with the Ministry of Education, to prepare and submit for approval, within one month, curricula for a master's degree program in "Peace and Neutrality" that meet high international standards. This decision by the head of state lays a solid foundation for the development of science and education in this field, ensuring the training of professional diplomatic personnel capable of representing Turkmenistan's interests on the global stage.