The UN General Assembly by its resolution confirmed the significant role of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Ashgabat

On February 24, 2023, during the 60th plenary meeting of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, a resolution "The Role of the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia" was adopted by the initiative of Turkmenistan on behalf of the countries of Central Asia under agenda item 58 "Peacebuilding and sustaining peace".

The resolution (below is the text of the resolution) was adopted by consensus and co-sponsored by 91 countries.

Presenting the resolution, the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations Ambassador Aksoltan Ataeva stressed that the Centre, established in December 2007 and located in Ashgabat, being the first UN structure of its kind with a mandate on preventive diplomacy, for 15 years of its activity has proved to be an effective platform for strengthening regional dialogue, anticipating potential risks, and early warning of conflicts.

It was emphasized that in January of this year, the United Nations Security Council, while considering the regular report on the activities of the Centre, expressed unanimous support for its work and noted the need to develop this structure and the initiatives promoted on its platform.

The Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN also drew attention to the positive dynamics of the joint efforts of the Centre with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) to strengthen cooperation of the Central Asian countries in combating transnational threats, in particular terrorism and violent extremism, organized crime, within the framework of the realization of the Joint Plan of Actions for the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia.

Following political events of the past few years, which are significant for Central Asia, supported in the text of the resolution:

• Establishment of permanent mechanism of regular Consultative Meetings of the Central Asian Heads of State;
• Declaration Zone of Peace, Trust and Cooperation of Central Asia in accordance with of the UN General Assembly resolution of July 28, 2022;
• Adoption in March 2022 the Updated Joint Plan of Actions of the Central Asian Countries to Combat Terrorism.

This resolution for the first time emphasizes the importance of regular contact of the Centre with regional organizations engaged in activities in Central Asia to strengthen peace and stability.

Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN also stressed that in the text of the resolution, a special place is given to the initiatives of the Regional Centre aimed at empowering women and youth, such as the Preventive Diplomacy Academy to train young people, and the Central Asian Women Leaders’ Caucus, set up in accordance with the United Nations global agendas “Women, Peace and Security” and “Youth, Peace and Security”.

The need to use the experience of the Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in other regions of the world for the development of a global conflict early warning network under the auspices of the UN was also emphasized.

Delegates of the UN General Assembly supported the activities of the Centre and its efforts to strengthen the dialogue between the countries of Central Asia and resolve pressing regional issues.