Ashgabat, July 15, 2025 – The Europe Today: A two-week regional training course titled “Caspian Sea – Sustainable Development and Management” commenced on July 14, 2025, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The program is jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Oil and Gas Complex, and the Caspian Sea Institute of Turkmenistan, in collaboration with the International Ocean Institute (IOI).
The training brings together a diverse group of professionals whose work is linked to the Caspian Sea region, including environmental experts, diplomats, border guards, oil and gas specialists, hydrometeorologists, hydrographers, legal and economic professionals, transport workers, and representatives of the fishing industry. Participants have been drawn from Turkmenistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation.
The opening ceremony was attended by prominent figures including Antonella Vassallo, Managing Director of the IOI; Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan; and Parvin Farshchi, Director of the training course. Awni Behnam, Honorary President of the IOI, addressed the attendees via video link.
Speakers highlighted the positive trajectory of regional dialogue concerning the Caspian Sea and commended Turkmenistan’s active contribution to advancing principles and mechanisms for sustainable development and cooperative management in the region.
The course curriculum includes a comprehensive module on marine spatial planning, a long-standing focus of the IOI’s regional training programs. Notably, this year’s program will also introduce a special seminar on the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, reflecting emerging priorities in ocean governance.
The initiative underscores growing regional commitment to the preservation, sustainable use, and cooperative management of the Caspian Sea’s ecological and economic resources.
