The Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting of Central Asian countries with the head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy

On January 31, 2023, a briefing was organized at the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the UN with the participation of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, the head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Ambassador Natalia Gherman and the Permanent Representatives of the countries of Central Asia.

Ms. Gherman briefed participants about the report to the UN Security Council on January 30 on the activities of the Centre over the past six months.

It was emphasized that the members of the UN Security Council positively assessed the work of the Regional Center and supported further efforts to strengthen its mandate.

The briefing, in particular, noted the international events successfully held in Ashgabat in December 2022 devoted to the 15th anniversary of the Center, including the Annual Meeting at the level of Deputy Foreign Ministers of the Central Asian countries, the meeting of the Central Asian Women Leaders' Caucus and the Central Asian expert forum; effective activities within the Joint Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia; the importance of the Center's cooperation with regional organizations, such as the SCO, CSTO, CIS; the need to develop multilateral platforms established in the region with the support of the Regional Center; the impact of the situation in Afghanistan on the stability of the Central Asian region as a whole, as well as joint solution of key issues of energy, food and environmental security, water issues and other.

During the meeting, the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations Ambassador Aksoltan Ataeva, expressing strong support of Turkmenistan for the activities of the Center, noted the need to further strengthen its role both at the regional and global levels.

In this regard, the completion of consultations between the countries of the region on the draft resolution of the UN General Assembly on the role of the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia was underlined, and negotiations on this draft will start shortly with all United Nations Member States.

Moreover, a proposal to establish a permanent Central Asian Youth Dialogue for Peace was also voiced and a corresponding concept note prepared by the Turkmen side was shared.

During the meeting, representatives of the Central Asian countries congratulated Ambassador Gherman on her appointment as Executive Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and noted her contribution to the development of regional cooperation and building effective relations between the Regional Center and the national governments of the Central Asian countries.