REGIONAL HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ON SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION HELD AT THE INITIATIVE OF TURKMENISTAN

The High-Level Regional Dialogue “Strengthening Transport Connectivity in the SPECA Region and Beyond during COVID-19”, organized by the Government of Turkmenistan in close cooperation with the United Nations, its regional commissions, and relevant specialized agencies, was held today via videoconference.

The forum was attended by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Ms. Fekitamoeloa Utoikamanu, Executive Secretary

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Ms. Olga Algayerova, heads and responsible representatives of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Development.

The Minister of Public Works of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Deputy Ministers of Transport of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan also took part in the Regional Dialogue.

In addition, specialists and experts from international organizations engaged in multilateral economic cooperation, in particular in the development of transport and communications, took an active part in the conference.

During the Regional Dialogue, a number of topical issues of expanding multilateral partnerships in the field of transport during the coronavirus pandemic were discussed. The relevance and significance of this issue are due to the urgent need to adapt the economic systems of the states of Central Asia and neighboring regions to the difficult situation that has arisen in the world economy today as a result of the spread of a new type of infection.

In this regard, the heads of international organizations and high-ranking delegations of the states that took part in this conference emphasized the particular importance of consolidating international efforts in improving the efficiency of the functioning of international transport corridors, optimizing the activities of state structures and companies involved in the formation and development of transport and communication systems.

Taking into account the specifics of the present moment, the parties focused on the need to develop new international legal mechanisms to ensure the operation of transport systems in emergency conditions.

In this context, the Turkmen side emphasized that, at the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolutions in the field of sustainable transport by consensus in 2014, 2015, and 2017, and in 2016, the first UN Global Conference on Sustainable Transport was organized in Ashgabat. The final document of this Forum became the legal basis for the formation of new approaches to broad international partnerships in the field of transport.

Developing the above initiatives, the President of Turkmenistan, in his speech at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, proposed to discuss during the current session the draft General Assembly Resolution on ensuring stable international transport during emergencies, prepared by the Turkmen side.

During the videoconference, the participants exchanged views and made specific proposals for the development of interaction in order to resolve the above and other issues.

As a result of the Regional Dialogue, an agreed document was adopted, which included the main conclusions of the conference.