The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the United States of America, Esen Aydogdyev, has taken the first official steps toward assuming his diplomatic duties. He presented copies of his credentials to Monica Crowley, the Chief of Protocol of the U.S. Department of State. The significant ceremony took place on April 9, 2026, at Blair House in Washington, D.C. Official information regarding this event was released via the X (formerly Twitter) page of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the United States.
According to diplomatic protocol, the presentation of copies of credentials is a mandatory step preceding the official commencement of a new ambassador’s work. Following this stage, the original credentials will be presented to the head of the host state, at which point the official representative’s powers will come into full effect.
Esen Aydogdyev was appointed to this high-ranking position on March 6, 2026, by a Decree of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Prior to this appointment, the experienced diplomat served as the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation since November 2023. Additionally, he concurrently served as the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Slovenia (with residence in Moscow).
The appointment of the new ambassador marks the conclusion of a long-standing era for Turkmenistan’s diplomatic representation in the United States. The previous ambassador, Meret Orazov, had held the position since January 2001, serving for nearly 25 years. During his tenure, he represented the nation’s interests not only in the U.S. but also in Mexico and Canada, and served as the country’s representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Meret Orazov was relieved of all duties due to his transfer to another position.
