Tariq Saeedi and Elvira Kadyrova
The agile and proactive foreign policy of Turkmenistan has lately shown a remarkable degree of finesse. The compact but very competent team of the Turkmen diplomats have shown the incredible ability to launch new initiatives and maintain their momentum after their launch.
What is more, as they carry more load, they gain more speed.
Now, Turkmenistan is prepared to voice 16 new initiatives and announcements at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, which will start on 5 September 2023.
At the cabinet meeting on 28 July 2023, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, submitted these proposals for the approval of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
Here is the abbreviated list:
Initiatives and Announcements planned for 78th UN General Assembly Session
- To create a Global Security Strategy
- To create a permanent structure for security issues in Central Asia; hold its first meeting in Ashgabat in 2024
- To create a Counter-Terrorism Programme for Central Asia jointly with the UN Counter-Terrorism Office
- To hold International forum on food security in cooperation with FAO, World Food Programme, WHO, and UNICEF
- International conference of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, to be held in December 2024 in Ashgabat; together with this start studying the possibilities of creating the Institute of Neutrality and Security in Ashgabat
- On SDGs, in cooperation with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will propose to adopt a resolution on ensuring universal energy security
- On SDGs, in cooperation with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will propose to draft a resolution to strengthen the interconnectedness between all modes of transport
- Continue to pursue the initiative to establish in Ashgabat the UN Regional Centre for Technologies related to climate change in Central Asia
- Propose to develop under the auspices of the UN a comprehensive strategy to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions until 2030 under the Global Methane Commitment
- Propose to create the Caspian Environmental Initiative, headquartered in Ashgabat
- Propose to create UN Council on the use of water resources in Central Asia, headquartered in Ashgabat
- In connection with the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action, will hold relevant events together with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Propose to organize in 2024 a regional conference on the elimination of statelessness
- Announce to host in Turkmenistan the founding meeting of the Central Asian Youth Dialogue
- Organize in 2024, together with UNESCO and TURKSOY of the International Week of Turkic Languages, dedicated to the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Fragi
- Propose to adopt a resolution on the World Day of Turkic Languages
In addition, on the occasion of declaring 26 November as World Sustainable Transport Day, Turkmenistan will offer to hold a high-level Conference within the framework of the Ashgabat Process during the regular session of the UN General Assembly.
In order to further develop fruitful cooperation with the United Nations, within the framework of the upcoming session of the General Assembly, Turkmenistan will work on carrying out project and program activities together with specialized UN structures.
DPM Meredov reported that appropriate steps were also planned to open offices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UNESCO, the International Labor Organization, the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Ashgabat.
In the next few days, the foreign office will publish a detailed version of these initiatives and proposals.
Meanwhile, it will be useful to look again at the ideas voiced by Turkmenistan at the recent Central Asia + GCC Summit in Jeddah.
Initiatives and announcements made at GCC+CA Summit in Jeddah on 19 July 2023
- Creation as a permanent mechanism the Conference of Foreign Ministers of the Central Asian countries and the Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Gulf
- Creation of new transport and transit corridors and stable and reliable logistics infrastructure for uniting the Central Asia and GCC regions and promotion of cooperation in transport, energy, investment, and trade
- Establishment of a Transport Committee in the Central Asia and GCC format
- Creation of a Joint Working Group on Energy, with the function to analyze the potential for collective action in the energy sector
- Creation of the Central Asian and GCC Chamber of Commerce to expand trade relations
- Offer to host the First Investment Forum of Central Asia and GCC in Ashgabat in 2024
- Create a new platform ‘Cultural Dialogue’ of Central Asia and GCC to promote encourage interaction in culture
- Create an Ecological Council of the Central Asian States and the GCC
- Offer to host in 2025 in Ashgabat a Medical Congress of Central Asia and GCC
- Organization of the First International Sports Games of the states of Central Asia and the GCC
The goals and destination are the same: promotion of seamless global partnership for the shared peace, prosperity and development. /// nCa, 29 July 2023
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