BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has invited Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya on November 11-12.
Erdogan extended the invitation in a birthday message to Berdimuhamedov, according to a press release issued by the press service of the Turkmen government.
“I will be pleased to see Your Excellency at the COP31 Leaders' Summit, which will be held on November 11-12, 2026, in Antalya,” Erdogan said.
In his message, the Turkish president also noted the development of relations between Turkmenistan and Türkiye, citing their common linguistic, cultural, religious and historical ties.
Erdogan said bilateral relations were developing both at the bilateral level and through multilateral platforms, including the Organization of Turkic States.
Turkmenistan and Türkiye established diplomatic relations shortly after Turkmenistan gained independence. Türkiye was the first country to recognize Turkmenistan on October 27, 1991, and opened its embassy in Ashgabat in February 1992. The two countries cooperate in political, economic, cultural and educational areas, while Türkiye supports Turkmenistan's policy of permanent neutrality.
Economic ties are an important part of the bilateral relationship. According to Türkiye's Foreign Ministry, bilateral trade reached $2.2 billion in 2025, including $1.3 billion in Turkish exports to Turkmenistan and $860 million in imports. The two countries’ presidents have set a goal to bolster the bilateral trade value to $5 billion in near term. Turkish companies have also been active in Turkmenistan's construction and industrial sectors, with more than 1,000 projects worth over $54 billion completed since the country's independence.
Energy and transport have become increasingly important areas of cooperation. In June 2026, the ninth meeting of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Turkish Commission on Economic Cooperation identified transport and logistics as a key area, with discussions focusing on infrastructure connecting Central Asia and Europe. Energy cooperation was also discussed, alongside construction, building materials, food production and agriculture.
For reference, COP31 is the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The COP is the convention's main decision-making body, bringing together countries that are parties to the UN climate framework to review implementation and adopt decisions on international climate action.
COP31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20, 2026, with the main venue at the Antalya EXPO Center. The conference will include negotiations under the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, as well as the World Climate Action Summit, country pavilions and other official and side events.
