Serdar Gurbangulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow, (born 22 September 1981) is the third and current
president of Turkmenistan
The president of Turkmenistan ( tk, Türkmenistanyň prezidenti), officially the president and chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, is the head of state and head of government of Turkmenistan. The president is also the supreme c ...
, serving since 19 March 2022. Berdimuhamedow had previously served in several other positions within the government of his father,
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow (born 29 June 1957), also known as Arkadag (Cyrillic: Аркадаг, "protector"), is a Turkmen politician who served as the second president of Turkmenistan from 2006 to 2022.
A dentist by profes ...
.
In 2021, he became one of several deputy chairmen in the
Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan. Having won 73 percent of the vote in the
2022 Turkmenistan presidential election, considered to be
neither free nor fair,
he succeeded his father's 15-year-long authoritarian tenure as president.
Early career and education
Serdar Berdimuhamedow was born on 22 September 1981 in
Ashgabat
Ashgabat or Asgabat ( tk, Aşgabat, ; fa, عشقآباد, translit='Ešqābād, formerly named Poltoratsk ( rus, Полтора́цк, p=pəltɐˈratsk) between 1919 and 1927), is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies ...
.
He studied at Secondary School No. 43 in Ashgabat from 1987 to 1997.
Between 1997 and 2001, he studied at the
Turkmen Agricultural University, graduating as an engineer-technologist.
From July to November 2001, he worked in the Directorate for Foreign Economic Relations of the Food Processing Association, followed by two years of mandatory military service.
From 2003 to 2008, he worked again at the Food Processing Association in the fruit and vegetable department and in the non-alcoholic beer and wine department.
Between 2008 and 2011, Berdimuhamedow studied at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earning a diploma in international relations. During this period he was also assigned to the Turkmen Embassy in Moscow as
counselor of embassy.
From 2011 to 2013, he studied at the
Geneva Centre for Security Policy
The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) is an international foundation that was established in 1995 under Swiss law to "promote the building and maintenance of peace, security and stability". The GCSP was founded by the Federal Department ...
, earning a post-graduate degree in European and international security affairs. He was concurrently assigned to the Turkmen Mission to the United Nations in Geneva as a counselor of embassy.
From August to December 2013, he served as head of the European Department of the Turkmen
Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...
. From 2013 to 2016 he was deputy director of the State Agency for Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources. From 2016 to 2017 he was chairman of the Department of International Information of the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On 18 August 2014, Serdar Berdimuhamedow defended a dissertation at the
Turkmen Academy of Sciences
The Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan () is a state body in Turkmenistan founded in 1951, which is responsible for the implementation of Turkmen scientific and technical policy. The academy was closed under president Saparmurat Niyazov and reope ...
to earn the degree of candidate of science.
In July 2015, he was awarded a doctorate in technical sciences.
He was often styled as "the son of the nation" by
state media in Turkmenistan.
Military service
Berdimuhamedow served two years of mandatory military service from 2001 to 2003. On 27 October 2017, Berdimuhamedow was promoted from the rank of
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
to
lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
. His promotion ceremony was broadcast on national television. His branch of service is unknown,
but on 7 March 2021, he was shown on national television in uniform wearing the shoulder patch of the
Armed Forces of Turkmenistan
The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan ( tk, Türkmenistanyň Ýaragly Güýçleri), known informally as the Turkmen National Army () is the national military of Turkmenistan. It consists of the Turkmen Ground Forces, Ground Forces, the Turkmen Air F ...
. The same video showed him wearing
shoulder board
A shoulder mark, also called rank slide, or slip-on, is a flat cloth sleeve worn on the shoulder strap of a uniform. It may bear Military rank, rank or other insignia. A shoulder mark should not be confused with a ''shoulder board'' (which is a ...
s indicating the rank of
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
, and the decree awarding him the honorary title of ''"Defender of Homeland Turkmenistan"'' referred to him as a colonel.
[ See video at 7:32.]
Political career
![Serdar Berdimuhamedov (28326715477)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Serdar_Berdimuhamedov_%2828326715477%29.jpg)
In November 2016, Berdimuhamedow won a seat in the Mejlis representing the 25th parliamentary district centered on
Dushak
Dushak ( tk, Duşak) is a small town in the Karakum Desert on the rim of the Kopet Dag mountains of Ahal Province, Turkmenistan.
See also
* Railway stations in Turkmenistan
Railway stations in Turkmenistan include:
Maps
UN MapUNHCR Map ...
, a town in
Ahal Province.
In March 2018, he was
re-elected to the
Assembly of Turkmenistan
The Assembly ( tk, Mejlis) is since March 2021 the lower house of the National Council of Turkmenistan. It has 125 members, elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies.
Structure
In addition to the chairperson and deputy chairpe ...
with over 90% of the votes cast in his district.
He chaired the committee on legislation and norms as of March 2017.
Berdimuhamedow rose to the political spotlight following his appointment as
deputy minister of foreign affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a Cabinet (government), cabinet Minister (government), minister in charge of a sovereign state, state's foreign policy and foreign ...
in March 2018.
In January 2019, Berdimuhamedow was shifted to the position of deputy governor of Ahal Province, the native region of most of the Turkmen elite. In June 2019, Berdimuhamedow was elevated to governor (''häkim'') of Ahal Province.
In February 2020, Berdimuhamedow was appointed minister of industry and construction materials of Turkmenistan.
On 11 February 2021, Berdimuhamedow was promoted to deputy chairman of the
Cabinet of Ministers
A cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the executive branch's top leaders. Members of a cabinet are usually called cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a cabinet varies: in some countries ...
for innovation and digitization, a new position. He was simultaneously appointed to the
State Security Council
The State Security Council (SSC) was formed in South Africa in 1972 to advise the government on the country's national policy and strategy concerning security, its implementation and determining security priorities. Its role changed through the pr ...
and chairman of the Supreme Control Chamber of Turkmenistan.
On 9 July 2021, Berdimuhamedow was relieved of his positions on the State Security Council and Supreme Control Chamber, and as deputy chairman was assigned the economics and finance portfolio with specific responsibility for "economic and banking issues and international financial organizations".
He is chairperson of the Turkmen
Alabay Dog Association,
and president of the International
Ahal Teke Horse Breeding Association.
Presidency (2022–present)
Election
It was confirmed in February 2022 that Berdimuhamedow was running for an
early presidential election on 12 March, fuelling speculation that he would be the successor to his father as
President of Turkmenistan
The president of Turkmenistan ( tk, Türkmenistanyň prezidenti), officially the president and chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, is the head of state and head of government of Turkmenistan. The president is also the supreme c ...
. He won the election with 72.97% of the vote, and became his father's successor as President, establishing a
political dynasty
A political family (also referred to as political dynasty) is a family in which multiple members are involved in politics — particularly electoral politics. Members may be related by blood or marriage; often several generations or multiple sibli ...
. The election was seen by many international observers as
neither free nor fair.
Inauguration
Serdar was inaugurated on 19 March at the
Ruhyýet Palace
Rukhiyet Palace ( tk, Ruhyýet köşgi/Рухыет көшги) is a palace in the capital city of Asgabat in Turkmenistan. The palace holds official state events, forums, meetings, and inaugurations. The palace was built by the French company ...
.
He took the oath to the people on the
Constitution of Turkmenistan
The Constitution of Turkmenistan adopted on 18 May 1992 is the supreme law of Turkmenistan (Article 5). In its preamble, the Constitution emphasizes self-determination for the Turkmen people, as well as the rule of law and rights for citizens. ( ...
and the
Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...
. He was then presented the presidential badge of office by Turkmen elders. From the palace, Berdimuhamedow, accompanied by a mounted escort, drove to
Galkynysh Square and then to the
Oguzhan Presidential Palace
Oguzhan Palace ( tm, Oguz han köşgi, Огуз хан көшги) is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Turkmenistan, located on Independence Square in the capital city of Ashgabat in Turkmenistan. It has been the ...
Complex where the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan performed a
military parade
A military parade is a formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. The military parade is now almost entirely ceremonial, though soldiers from time immemorial up until the lat ...
. Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of the
State Security Council of Turkmenistan
The State Security Council of Turkmenistan ( tk, Türkmenistanyň Döwlet Howpsuzlyk Geňeşi/Түркменистаның Дөвлет Ховпсузлык Геңеши; russian: Государственный совет безопасност ...
Çarymyrat Amanow reported to Berdimuhamedow. Later that day an official reception was given at the Audience Center of Turkmenistan. A festive
Sadaqah
or Sadqah ( ar, صدقة , "charity", "benevolence", plural ' ) in the modern context has come to signify "voluntary charity". According to the Quran, the word means voluntary offering, whose amount is at the will of the "benefactor".
Etymolo ...
was also given at the
Hazret Omar Mosque.
Government policies
On 25 March, he announced the new composition of his cabinet. The only new government member he appointed was
Muhammetguly Muhammedow, who replaced him as
Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Economics and Finance.
According to some, he intends to replace Foreign Minister and ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
''
Vice President of Turkmenistan
The vice president of Turkmenistan, formally referred to as the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, and erroneously (based on the official title, and despite the abolition of the Prime Minister of Turkmenistan's office) as the Deputy Prim ...
Raşit Meredow
Raşit Öwezgeldiýewiç Meredow (, Cyrillic: Рашит Өвезгелдиевич Мередов; born 29 May 1960) is a Turkmen politician and diplomat who has served as Vice President of Turkmenistan since 2007.
Biography
Raşit Meredo ...
with Esen Aydogdyev, rector of the
International University of Humanities and Development
The International University for Humanities and Development ( tm, Halkara Ynsanperwer Ylymlary we Ösüş Uniwersiteti, HYY we ÖU) was opened in September 2014 as an English-medium institution of higher education in Turkmenistan.''International U ...
.
Foreign policy
On the first day of his presidency, Berdimuhamedow accepted the credentials of Fazal Muhammad Sabir, making Turkmenistan the first country in Central Asia to accept the diplomats of the
Taliban
The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state (polity), state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalist, m ...
government of
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. Former Indian President
Ram Nath Kovind
Ram Nath Kovind (; born 1 October 1945) is an Indian politician who served as the 14th President of India from 2017 to 2022. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is the second person after K. R. Narayanan, from the Dalit community ...
made a state visit to Turkmenistan on 1–4 April, marking the first visit of the President of India to Turkmenistan, and the first foreign head of state to be received by Berdimuhamedow. The two leaders discussed expanding trade and energy cooperation. President Berdimuhamedow made his first foreign visit, to
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
, on 1–2 June. Later that month, he made visits to Russia and Iran, on the visit to the latter he used the first
Aurus Senat
The Aurus Senat (russian: Сенат) is a luxury full-size sedan by Russian automaker Aurus Motors and developed by NAMI in Moscow, Russia. The armoured limousine is powered by a 4.4 litre V8 engine developed by NAMI, with a 6.6 litre V12 (634 ...
limousine purchased by the Turkmen government.
National security policy
During a State Security Council meeting in early April, he also removed Colonel General
Çarymyrat Amanow from the post of Secretary of the
State Security Council of Turkmenistan
The State Security Council of Turkmenistan ( tk, Türkmenistanyň Döwlet Howpsuzlyk Geňeşi/Түркменистаның Дөвлет Ховпсузлык Геңеши; russian: Государственный совет безопасност ...
in favor of the head of the Defense Ministry,
Begench Gundogdyev, due to Amanow's "transfer to another job." He also abolished Amanow's concurrent office of Deputy Chairman of the
Cabinet
Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to:
Furniture
* Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers
* Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets
* Filing ...
responsible for Security, Military, and Justice. He also replaced the
Minister of Internal Affairs
Minister may refer to:
* Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric
** Minister (Catholic Church)
* Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department)
** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
, Colonel Öwezdurdy Hojanyýazow, with Colonel
Muhammet Hydyrow, due to "shortcomings" and "improper control over public order, traffic safety as well as activity of local representatives of the police."
Awards
Decorations
* Order of "Garaşsyz Türkmenistana bolan beýik söýgüsi üçin" ("For great love of independent Turkmenistan")
* "
Mälikguly Berdimuhamedow" medal
* Jubilee medal "Türkmenistanyň Garaşsyzlygynyň 25 ýyllygyna" ("25 years of Turkmenistan's Independence")
* Jubilee medal "Türkmenistanyň Bitaraplygynyň 25 ýyllygyna" ("25 years of Turkmenistan's neutrality")
[
]
Foreign awards
* – Order of Friendship
The Order of Friendship (russian: Орден Дружбы, ') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by Boris Yeltsin by presidential decree 442 of 2 March 1994 to reward Russian and foreign nationals whose work, deeds a ...
(2022)
Honorary Titles
* "Türkmenistanyň Watan goragçysy" (2021) ("Defender of Homeland Turkmenistan")
* "Türkmenistanyň at gazanan itşynasy" (2021) ("Meritorious Dog Breeder of Turkmenistan")
Personal life
Berdimuhamedow is married and has four children. A classmate at the Russian Diplomatic Academy described him as even-tempered and unassuming. Instructors and other classmates reportedly described him as "modest, responsive, polite, and calm."
Berdimuhamedow speaks Turkmen, Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
and English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
.
On 30 May 2022, Berdimuhamedow's mother Ogulgerek Berdimuhamedova was awarded the title of Honored Carpet Weaver of Turkmenistan for her many years at the carpet factory in the city of Geoktepe. On 1–2 June 2022, he undertook his first foreign visit to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
, where he and his son performed Umrah
The ʿUmrah ( ar, عُمْرَة, lit=to visit a populated place) is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca (the holiest city for Muslims, located in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia) that can be undertaken at any time of the year, in contrast to the ...
.
Notes
References
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berdimuhamedow, Serdar
1981 births
20th-century Turkmenistan politicians
21st-century Turkmenistan politicians
Children of national leaders
Living people
People from Ashgabat
Presidents of Turkmenistan
Turkmenistani military personnel
Turkmenistan Muslims