Rashid Meredov Discussed Key Cooperation Projects with the US Deputy Secretary of State
ORIENT | Politics. On June 8, Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met in Ashgabat with Sarah Rogers, US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, who arrived in the Turkmen capital on a working visit. The main topics of the dialogue were practical projects in high technology, expanding educational programs, and cooperation in modern mass media.
The parties noted that contacts at the highest and high levels remain the main driver of bilateral relations, which today encompass a wide range of areas—from political and diplomatic interaction to cultural exchange. Particular emphasis during the current talks was placed on the digitalization of key sectors of the Turkmen economy, where the experience and technological solutions of American partners can bring the greatest benefit.
Education remains one of the most effective platforms for cooperation. It was noted that Turkmenistan currently actively participates in more than 15 joint US educational programs, and direct and sustainable contacts have been established between relevant higher education institutions in the two countries, according to a Foreign Ministry press release.
The diplomats paid special attention to the media, public relations, and the development of public diplomacy. Ashgabat and Washington aim to intensify professional contacts between journalists and media experts, implement joint projects, and regularly exchange experiences in the changing digital information space.
In the context of cultural cooperation, Meredov and Rogers praised the results of many years of joint work. In particular, they emphasized that the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) program has been successfully and continuously implemented in Turkmenistan for a quarter of a century, helping to protect and restore the country's unique historical monuments.
At the end of the meeting, the diplomats expressed mutual interest in further expanding their partnership both in the traditional bilateral format and within the framework of the authoritative multilateral platform "C5+1."
