The XXV International multidisciplinary exhibition and conference «White city Ashgabat – 2026», focusing on architecture, innovation, and sustainable development, took place in the capital of Turkmenistan. The Ashgabat city hall and the Chamber of commerce and industry of Turkmenistan, with the support of the Turkmen energy forum, organised this large-scale forum.

The forum became a prestigious platform for dialogue on best practices in urban development and ecology. Participants focused on prospects of Turkmenistan for collaboration with international institutions. On the sidelines of the conference, Erfan Ali, Director of the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, spoke with a «GA» correspondent about current areas of joint work.

«Currently, cooperation with the Government of Turkmenistan and national agencies is reaching a qualitatively new level. The process of developing a comprehensive partnership program was launched several months ago, and the recent forum allowed for a detailed discussion of its key parametres», the UN representative noted.

E. Ali explained that the activities of UN-Habitat in Turkmenistan will be strictly within the framework of mandate of the organisation, which is aimed at the sustainable development of human settlements.

A number of areas have been identified as priority areas of the proposed program. These include modernizing urban planning mechanisms, promoting local climate initiatives, improving energy efficiency in the housing sector, developing and supporting basic public and social services, and implementing digital and smart solutions within the Smart City concept at the national level.

According to E. Ali, a series of meetings were held at government agencies across the country to coordinate practical steps related to activities of UN-Habitat in Turkmenistan and approve the portfolio of future projects. These included talks at the Ministry of foreign affairs of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of energy, the Ministry of construction and architecture, and the Ashgabat city hall.

The UN-Habitat Regional Director emphasised the constructive role of the anniversary conference in Ashgabat.

«The forum provided a unique opportunity to deeply explore current experience of Turkmenistan in sustainable development and energy efficiency and to assess the scale of the efforts the Government and state organisations are making to ensure a sustainable and prosperous urban environment», he said.

Furthermore, E. Ali emphasised the high level of organisation of the event, noting that the conference venue provided an ideal venue for establishing contacts with all stakeholders and conducting an in-depth exchange of views. In conclusion, the UN-Habitat Regional Director expressed firm confidence in the long-term effectiveness and high practical results of the planned partnership.