Turkmenistan declared its independence from the former USSR on October 27, 1991. Its first President was Saparmurad Nyazov, also called “Turkmenbashi” (Father of the Turkmens). He was succeeded by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov after his death in 2006, while Serdar Berdimuhamedov has been the current President of Turkmenistan since March 2022.
Italy began diplomatic relations with Turkmenistan with the Protocol signed in Moscow on 9 June 1992, being one of the only five European countries to have opened an embassy in Turkmenistan, on 2 December 2013. The decision was reciprocated by the other party at the beginning of 2017 with the inauguration of a Turkmen Embassy in Italy, led by Ambassador Toyly Komekov since January 2020.
Italy and Turkmenistan present convergent points of view on many foreign policy issues under discussion in various international forums (UN agencies). Italy particularly appreciates Turkmenistan’s status of permanent neutrality recognized internationally by United Nations Resolutions, and similarly the foreign policy centered on dialogue and the diplomatic resolution of disputes adopted by the Italian government is positively regarded by the Turkmen government. The two countries support each other in their respective candidacies to international bodies.
In addition to the bilateral level, the evolution of Italian-Turkmen relations also unfolds through the work of the various international agencies (UNDP, OSCE, UNICEF, EBRD, etc.) present on the territory of Turkmenistan. The main activity of this large group of international bodies is to assist the country in the process towards political democratization and the market economy.