Turkmenistan

Visits

Following President Mitterrand’s visit to Turkmenistan, the country’s President visited France in 1996 and his successor made an official visit at the invitation of his French counterpart on 1 and 2 February 2010. The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Laurent Fabius, visited Ashgabat on 2 March 2013, before receiving his counterpart, Mr Raşit Meredow, on 17 July 2015. Mr Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, met in Paris with Mr Vepa Hajiyev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, for the celebration on 29 March 2017 of the 25ᵗʰ anniversary of France’s diplomatic relations with Central Asian States.

Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation

The Institut Français in Turkmenistan offers French classes, trains teachers and organizes cultural events (cinema, dance, music, etc.). The French archaeological mission in Turkmenistan has also cooperated for some 20 years with the country’s scientific institutions, such as for excavation and restoration campaigns at the Ulug Depe site.