Strengthening and developing cooperation with the authoritative organizations – that was the subject of the two-day meeting held in the Turkmen capital in the fames of preparations for Turkmenistan’s chairmanship in the International Aral Sea Fund (IASF). Held in the conference hall of the “Ýyldyz” Hotel, the forum was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture and Water Economy of Turkmenistan with direct support of the “Transborder Water Resources Management in Central Asia” Program of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). The forum was attended by representatives of various ministries and institutions of the country, UN agencies, including the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), as well as the European Union, the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and others. In the course of meeting, representatives of international organizations, national and foreign experts discussed key trends and areas of cooperation during Turkmenistan’s three-year chairmanship in the International Aral Sea Fund. The meeting participants also highlighted the importance of keeping the initiated projects going as part of the Third Action Program on rendering support to the countries of the Aral Sea Basin. (ASBP-3). Much depends on the coordinated efforts of the countries directly affected by the ecological disaster. At one time, the much-needed International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea was co-founded by Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The Fund also includes the Interstate Commission on Water Resources Management in Central Asia (ICWRM), and the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (ICSD), which has adopted the Regional Environmental Action Plan as a single program for the Central Asian countries. The ICSD Scientific and Information Center has been established at the National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna in Ashgabat with the branch offices in other countries. In December 2008, the IFAS was granted the status of observer by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution. That was a landmark event, which acknowledged the global character of the Aral Sea crisis and the need to intensify integration of efforts of the world community to resolve it. It should be noted that the policy pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov directly correlates with the top-priority goals and objectives of the United Nations. Among them are the proposals to open in Ashgabat a Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies for Central Asia, to draw up a special UN Aral Sea Program and UN Water Strategy. In this context, our country has accumulated vast experience and is successfully carrying out large-scale state programs and projects. One such is “The National Program of the President of Turkmenistan on improving social conditions of the population of villages, settlements, etrap towns and etrap centers until 2020” and another one - “The General Program for supplying clean drinking water to the settlements in Turkmenistan”. The “Altyn Asyr” Lake project (Phase Two) is well underway in the Karakum Desert (Central Karakum). At the same time, “The National Climate Change Strategy” and “The National Forest Program of Turkmenistan” are being consistently implemented in the country. Summing up the meeting, the participants spoke for stepping up the cooperation between the IFAS member-countries and international organizations and financial institutions on a whole range of issues related to environment protection and the Aral Sea sustainable development.