OSCE organizes online seminar on energy diplomacy in Turkmenistan

Best practices in developing strategies in the area of energy diplomacy were shared during an OSCE-organized online seminar that took place on 11 and 12 November 2020 in Ashgabat.

The two-day event presented an overview of international priorities in the energy sector, analyzed world trends, policies and strategies in the area, and facilitated discussions on further possible steps in developing Turkmenistan’s energy diplomacy programme.

Participants included representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Energy, Finance and Economy, institutions of higher education and other relevant bodies.

“As the world’s largest regional security forum, the OSCE is well-positioned to promote political dialogue and international co-operation on energy issues, including its economic and environmental aspects,” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

Experts from the Russian Federation and Serbia elaborated on energy in the international context focusing on energy markets, geopolitics and climate change diplomacy. Participants discussed the energy diplomacy of the Middle East, its strategies and approaches, and relations with the Central Asian Region. 

“It is commendable that neutral Turkmenistan is promoting energy security as one of its foreign policy priorities and is attaching special importance to developing energy diplomacy,” stressed Drozd. “We strongly believe that this event will make a practical contribution to the country’s efforts to elaborate the Programme for the Development of Energy Diplomacy in Turkmenistan 2020-2025”.

Participants shared their views on the priorities and practical aspects of Turkmenistan’s energy diplomacy after learning about the priorities of other energy-exporting OSCE participating States and experiences of countries without direct access to world oceans and international energy markets.

The seminar will be followed by a lecture on energy diplomacy, which will be held on 13 November for students and teachers from the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the State Energy Institute in Mary, and the Institute of Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan.