CIS Foreign Ministers Meet in Moscow for Talks

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 17 April 2026, a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States was held in Moscow.

The session was opened and chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Akhmed Gurbanov, representing the country holding the chairmanship.

The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia. CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev also took part.

Discussions were held in both narrow and expanded formats. In the closed session, ministers exchanged views on key international issues and cooperation within the CIS framework.

In the expanded format, participants reviewed the implementation of the plan of multilevel inter-ministerial consultations and the program to enhance cooperation among CIS foreign ministries for 2025. It was noted that 18 consultation events were held under the plan, covering a wide range of areas, including foreign policy planning, economic diplomacy, export control, cooperation with international organizations, and humanitarian and cultural interaction.

Special attention was given to coordinating CIS positions at the United Nations, engagement with the European Union and other international organizations, as well as cooperation in education, science, sports and youth policy.

Following the meeting, decisions were adopted regarding the functioning of базовые organizations in education. In particular, the status of Peoples' Friendship University of Russia was уточнен as a base organization for information support of CIS education systems. It was also decided to transfer the functions of the base organization in adult education to the Institute for the Development of Vocational Education after the liquidation of the previous institution.

The foreign ministers also adopted a joint statement marking the 65th anniversary of the first human spaceflight, highlighting the historic significance of Yuri Gagarin’s mission and the contribution of CIS countries to the development of the space sector. The statement reaffirmed commitment to the peaceful use of outer space in accordance with international law.

In addition, ministers approved a number of draft decisions to be submitted to the CIS Council of Heads of State and the Council of Heads of Government. These include a proposal to declare 2028 the Year of Social Development and Quality of Life, as well as initiatives in humanitarian cooperation and interstate programs.

The next meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers is scheduled for October and will be held in Turkmenistan.