Korea-Central Asia Summit: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will host the first Korea-Central Asia summit in Seoul on Sept. 16, with leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, aiming to deepen cooperation on energy, critical minerals, supply chains and connectivity. CIS Economic Agenda in Ashgabat: Turkmenistan chaired the 111th CIS Economic Council meeting, approving programmes on transport security, digital transformation and practical steps to reduce trade barriers, while also discussing preparations for major CIS foreign ministers and heads-of-state events in Avaza in October. Water Diplomacy for the Aral Sea Basin: A two-day consultative meeting in Avaza launched work on a UN special programme for the Aral Sea Basin, focusing on shared water-resource management, ecosystem sustainability and regional coordination with UNDP support. Turkmen-Japan Talks: Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov met Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kenji Yamada, highlighting plans to expand trade and investment and bring in Japanese technologies for energy, industry, transport and digitalization. Border Security with the Taliban: Taliban defense officials and Turkmen border commanders discussed strengthening coordination and security along their shared frontier amid regional concerns over militant activity and cross-border threats. Fashion and Trade: Turkmen brands promoted their products at Paris’s Who’s Next fair, while “Turkmen Expo” announced it will organize a national pavilion at FAST TEXTILE 2026 in Poland. Culture and Sports: Eswatini will face Turkmenistan in the opening match of the FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities in Samarkand, and Turkmen musicians took part in Georgia’s Tsinandali classical music festival.