The Secretary-Normal expressed his appreciation to Turkmenistan for internet hosting the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat, and counseled Turkmenistan’s generosity in granting citizenship to stateless folks.
He additionally thanked the President for offering the UN Nation Group with a brand new constructing.
Regional challenges
Later at a press encounter, Mr. Guterres instructed journalists that “Turkmenistan is enjoying a vital function in worldwide relations”, significantly in cooperation with the UN.
“In these troubled instances, I commend Turkmenistan’s coverage of neutrality,” he mentioned.
The Secretary-Normal is on an official go to to Central Asia, which covers Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Mr. Guterres final visited the area seven years in the past. Since then it has been affected by quite a few international challenges, he mentioned, such because the COVID-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical tensions and the intensifying local weather disaster.
He was inspired that relations between Central Asian international locations have improved within the face of those challenges, and regional cooperation has deepened, once more highlighting the essential function performed by Turkmenistan.
He mentioned the area continues to face many obstacles to improvement, together with water shortages, land degradation, pure hazards, and an absence of ample connectivity.
“The options are interlinked and might be discovered via dialogue and cooperation, and Turkmenistan performs a central function in that cooperation,” he mentioned.
UN dedication
The Secretary-Normal famous that the institution of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy demonstrates the Group’s dedication to Central Asia.
“With the engagement of all 5 Central Asian international locations, the Regional Centre will proceed to offer a discussion board for coming collectively round widespread options, particularly on the implementation of the United Nations International Counter-Terrorism Technique in Central Asia and the administration of pure sources to the good thing about all,” he mentioned.
Local weather motion and sustainable improvement
The Secretary-Normal additionally used the chance to spotlight how like different international locations throughout Central Asia, Turkmenistan is struggling the impacts of the intensifying local weather disaster.
He careworn the necessity for “much more bold local weather motion and cuts in emissions if the world is to remain inside 1.5 levels of worldwide heating.”
Mr. Guterres additional famous that Turkmenistan has made “essential strides” in direction of attaining plenty of the Sustainable Growth Objectives (SDGs), including that the UN Nation Group is engaged with the Authorities in figuring out gaps and dangers.
“Sustainable, inclusive improvement might be enormously enhanced by respect for the total spectrum of human rights – financial, social, political, cultural and civic,” he added.
On this regard, the Secretary-Normal inspired Turkmenistan to proceed partaking with UN human rights mechanisms and proposals.
