New vectors of Turkmenistan – UN dialog are the subjects of the conference and briefing

The Centre of Non –governmental organizations hosted conference “Turkmenistan – United Nations Organization: New heights of strategic cooperation” on May 11. Election of Turkmenistan to the Executive Council of the World Food Programme for 2020 – 2022, the Population and Development Commission for 2020 – 2024 and Commission for Narcotic Drugs for 2020 – 2023 was the main subject of the forum.

The Speaker of the Mejlis, Deputy Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of ministries and departments, representatives of military and law enforcement agencies, public organizations, directors of universities, heads of foreign diplomatic missions, high-rank delegates from international organizations and the UN agencies, reporters of local and foreign mass media took part in the conference.

It was mentioned at the opening of the forum that election of our country t three structures of the UN is the recognition of growing role of Turkmenistan in solution of global issues of the present. It also indicates huge interest of the world community in our independent and neutral country, foreign policy course of the Head of the State, which is aimed at stable social and economic development in the region of Central Asia and on the continent.

This conceptual strategy made an important contribution to exclusively productive character of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the UN. Achievements in the implementation of home policy, which has bright social targets, also supported the enhancement of international prestige of our country.

Therefore, long-term programmes for provision of food security, improvement of educational, health protection, protection of mother and child health spheres are successfully implemented under the leadership of the Head of the State. Efficient measures are taken for assertion of healthy life style, involvement of the population to physical training and sport, combating against drug addiction and prevention of harmful habits.

The Head of the UN Representative offices noted the cooperation between Turkmenistan and the UN, which has been recently activated in the aspect of regional and international agenda.

Being one of initiative members of the Organization, Turkmenistan invariably supports the enhancement of its role in creation of solid foundation for conflict-free development of the world in XXI, strengthening of friendship and understanding between nations and states. The UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, which makes huge contribution to the development of cooperation between the countries of the region, has been opened in Ashgabat by the initiative of our country.

In his speech at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in 2018, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said: “We think that the United Nations Organization is to play the main and crucial role in protection of the bases of the world order on the principles of mutual respect and peaceful political dialog”. At the same time, Turkmen leader outlined constructive frames of solution of regional problems in three main principles. First, this is compliance with universal standards of international law; second, account of the interests of participating countries, third, active participation of international organizations, especially the UN. These principles describe the participation of Turkmenistan in the above-mentioned structures.

The participants of the conference noted that provision of food security on national regional and international levels is an important direction of international activity of our state. In this context, Turkmenistan proposed to conduct the Food Forum under the UN patronage. It cannot help to say about great success in the development of food industry of our country, which has become possible only by the implementation of the strategy of modernization and technological rearmament of agricultural complex, processing facilities, import substitution and attraction of potential of private structures.

It supported the diversification of foreign trade relations of our country, transit of national economy from raw material to industrial orientation, which allowed opening numerous work occupancies, saturating internal market and protecting it from price changes in the world markets. The experts of international financial institutes have come to conclusion that Turkmenistan efficiently responded to the changes in the world economy. At the same time, annual growth of the GDP was 6 percent in recent years. The participants noted that practice of our country in this field would be required in the work of profile UN Commission.

Comprehensiveness is an important feature of participation of Turkmenistan in the activity of the UN Economic and Social Council. Our country is a member of many Council Commissions like Social Development Commission, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission of Science and Technology for Development and the UN Forest Forum. Therefore, as Head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes, taking interrelated character of the development goals, Turkmenistan participates in global process of development of the agenda in full scale.

For example, today, scientists and experts define the drugs trade as one of the most serious threats for human development. Understanding the extent of the threat, Turkmenistan always strengthens cooperation with the Commission of Narcotic Drugs in the implementation of its own programme of health protection of the population.

Being a member of three main international Conventions related to drug control, Turkmenistan takes an active part in the strengthening of regional cooperation in this field.

We also have significant achievements in the sphere of population and development. The state policy is aimed at the improvement of social wealth of the citizens. More than 70 percent of national budget is allocated for financing of social sectors. Owing to such strong support, the indicators of human development of Turkmenistan are on the rise.

The country received high assessment of the World Health Organization, the UNICEF for elimination of number of diseases, high level of vaccination and systematic care of mother and child health.

Turkmenistan implements international standards and best practice in educational sphere in order to make the youth to be more prepared foe stable future. Today, our students successfully represent the country at international contests abroad.

Summing up the speeches made at the conferences, it can be said that active participation in leading UN structures demonstrates the commitment of our country to the strengthening of strategic partnership with the Organization. achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals is unstoppable process. Sustainable development is a measurable target and an ideal of peace and prosperity for all humankind. Therefore, the election of Turkmenistan to the Commissions and Executive Council will help to achieve the SDGs as per the schedule and will enhance the cooperation.

Briefing of the Heads of the UN Representative Offices in Turkmenistan for mass media, where directors of universities, leaders and personnel of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations and students have also participated, took place upon the completion of the conference

The briefing has turned into the platform for interesting and live discussions and the representatives of the UN agencies and other international organizations highly appreciated the election of our country to the UN structures.

In particular, the Head of the UN regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Natalya German said that policy of positive neutrality, which is pursued throughout the decades by Turkmenistan and which was recognized and approved by the Resolutions of the UN General Assembly, opens unlimited capabilities for Turkmenistan to propose number of positive initiatives in the world arena.

She also highlighted that the election of Turkmenistan to specialized authorities of the Economic and Social Council us an important, timely and practical phase of implementation of the range of initiatives, which were proposed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly.

Mrs German expressed the confidence that Turkmenistan would use these opportunities for improvement of life of its citizens and the population of the world.

Answering the questions of journalists, the Head of the RCPDCA made special mention that election of Turkmenistan to the Executive Council of the World Food Programme is bright evidence of that priority attention that President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays to the objective of universal security.

There are already 36 countries in this structure and Turkmenistan will be the member of this authority of the ECOSOC from 2020 to 2022, under which large-scale work would be carried out as the Council manages the World Food Programme, which provides support to more than 91 million people in 83 countries of the world.

In this regard, the idea of organization of the high-level Food Forum under the UN aegis is logical continuation of prioritization of the objectives, which Turkmenistan proposed on national level. Due to the membership in the Executive council, Turkmenistan receives additional opportunities for mobilization of political will of other members of the UN and necessary structures of the Organization as well as for attraction of additional UN partners for these goals and objectives such as the World Bank, international financial institutes and other.

Other important initiatives of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov including on development of the programmes for youth, particularly for organization of high-level Forum on youth affairs in near future have also been mentioned.

It was also spoked about the proposals in energy, ecology, economics, situation in Aral Sea region. Allocation of the Aral Sea Programme to separate component of the cooperation with the UN would bring many other elements of the SDGs, therefore the Un sees this proposal as a strategic one, Mrs German noted.

Special significance of the election of Turkmenistan to the UN structures for support of establishment of peace in Afghanistan has been noted. In this regard, the attention of the participants has been focused on such integrational regional projects and the TAPI gas line, Lapis Lazuli Corridor, which allows Afghanistan entering Black Sea via Caspian region, construction of power lines and humanitarian projects.

Turkmenistan has good understanding how to use the capabilities offered by the UN for their maximum efficiency for the country as well as for the states in Central Asia and neighbouring regions, international experts noted.

One of the most important subjects for Central Asia related to the water problems has been reviewed at the briefing. In this aspect, the significance of such grandiose project implemented by Turkmenistan as construction of artificial lake Altyn Asyr, next to which construction of new village has been launched with the participation of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov few days ago, has been mentioned.

A unique project for turning of the desert into blossoming oasis is an example of far-seeing planning, strategic thinking in water management subjects as well as adequate response to the climate changes as the activity of people who would live in that place would support the development of the region far beyond the borders of the lake. This is also an example of water diplomacy of Turkmenistan, which the country actively promotes together with transport and energy diplomacy.

The representatives of the UN assured that the World Community always treat the initiatives of Turkmenistan with attention and interest and would attract all available resources to implement these initiatives in practice.

Participants of the briefing from Turkmen side have also confirmed the willingness of our country to use its potential for peace, creativity and sustainable development of all humanity.

Being a generator of innovative ideas, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov initiates and promotes fundamentally new approaches to the solution of current issues of modern world. Next stage of strategic partnership in this format starts with the election of our country to the UN structures, which would serve as a strong impulse for development and further implementation of number of joint projects and programmes, which are to be an important step toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.