Ashgabat Hosts the 11th International Course on Sustainable Development of the Caspian Sea
Developing institutional capacity, coordinating environmental policies, and implementing modern marine spatial planning mechanisms were key focus areas at the 11th International Training Course "Caspian Sea: Sustainable Development and Management," held in Ashgabat from September 7 to 18.
The educational and consultative forum, jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea Institute, and the International Ocean Institute (IOI), reaffirmed the Turkmen capital's status as an authoritative platform for developing consolidated approaches to preserving this unique water body.
The participation of UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan Xiaojun Grace Wang, IOI Managing Director Antonella Vassallo, and leading international experts in the law of the sea and ecology at the opening ceremony underscores the program's high international profile. Implemented in Turkmenistan since 2013, the course has developed a strong professional cluster: over the years, 175 specialists from all Caspian littoral states—Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Russia—have completed the training, along with experts from China.
In 2026, the intensive two-week program will focus on a systemic analysis of the Caspian Sea's environmental status, the development of scientifically based responses to global climate challenges, and, above all, sea level fluctuations and shallowing.
The practical value of the course is closely linked to Turkmenistan's strategic initiatives on the global stage. The development of a legal culture and expertise in marine resource management takes on particular significance in the context of UN General Assembly Resolution 80/295, adopted by consensus on Ashgabat's initiative, which proclaimed 2028 the "Year of International Law." Thus, the Caspian training program serves not only as a tool for environmental diplomacy but also as a practical platform for applying international maritime law to address transboundary ecosystem challenges in the region.
