On May 22, a regular meeting of the CIS Heads of Government Council took place in the Turkmen capital, being one of the key events of Turkmenistan's 2026 CIS chairmanship. The summit brought together representative government delegations from the Commonwealth countries.
The meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS was opened and chaired by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Khodjamyrat Geldymuradov. It was attended by Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Turchin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers - Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Kokhir Rasulzoda, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, Permanent Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the statutory and other bodies of the CIS, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Republic of Belarus Razmik Khumaryan, and the CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev.
The meetings, both in small and expanded formats, resulted in the adoption of a package of key agreements aimed at creating a sustainable, technologically advanced, and secure Eurasian ecosystem.
The delegation leaders' discussions focused on the practical implementation of the CIS Economic Development Strategy for the Period up to 2030.
The economic component of the expanded negotiations focused on innovative development and digital transformation. The introduction of intelligent platforms in trade and logistics is seen as a key factor in increasing the CIS products competitiveness on the global market, eliminating unnecessary administrative barriers and simplifying customs procedures.
At the same time, the parties outlined a comprehensive modernization of the industrial sector. Specifically, the digital transformation in mining and metallurgy, the development of joint projects in the chemical and textile industries, cooperation in the field of geodesy, cartography, spatial data, geoinformation technologies, and the construction materials production were discussed.
In the energy sector, the joint development of electric power infrastructure, the implementation of energy-efficient technologies, and the launch of pilot renewable energy projects were emphasized.
The Concept for the Integration of Major Transport Arteries Passing through the Territories of the CIS Member States was signed at the meeting to improve the speed, accessibility, and quality of transit freight transportation, streamlining export and import operations throughout the CIS.
A separate agenda item was the actions coordination in ecology, water conservation, and agricultural cooperation to ensure the macro-region food security.
The humanitarian dimension was highlighted at the summit as an integral part of a trusting partnership. 2026 was declared the Year of Health in the Commonwealth. In this regard, the delegates discussed the launch of new targeted programs to exchange best medical practices.
The heads of the delegations approved the list of new Youth Capitals of the Commonwealth. This honorary status was officially assigned to Minsk (the Republic of Belarus) for 2027 and Karaganda (the Republic of Kazakhstan) for 2028.
At the final press conference, CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev emphasized the high organizational level of the meeting in Ashgabat and stated that the decisions adopted would serve as a powerful catalyst for further integration processes throughout the Commonwealth.
The next meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States is scheduled for December 2026 in Moscow.