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 Staff with a brand new constructing.
Regional challenges
Later at a press encounter, Mr. Guterres advised journalists that “Turkmenistan is enjoying a vital position in worldwide relations”, significantly in cooperation with the UN.
“In these troubled occasions, 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 world 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 nations have improved within the face of those challenges, and regional cooperation has deepened, once more highlighting the essential position performed by Turkmenistan.
He mentioned the area continues to face many obstacles to growth, together with water shortages, land degradation, pure hazards, and an absence of sufficient connectivity.
“The options are interlinked and may be discovered via dialogue and cooperation, and Turkmenistan performs a central position 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 nations, the Regional Centre will proceed to supply a discussion board for coming collectively round frequent options, particularly on the implementation of the United Nations World Counter-Terrorism Technique in Central Asia and the administration of pure sources to the advantage of all,” he mentioned.
Local weather motion and sustainable growth
The Secretary-Normal additionally used the chance to focus on how like different nations throughout Central Asia, Turkmenistan is struggling the impacts of the intensifying local weather disaster.
He pressured the necessity for “way more bold local weather motion and cuts in emissions if the world is to remain inside 1.5 levels of world heating.”
Mr. Guterres additional famous that Turkmenistan has made “essential strides” in direction of reaching a variety of the Sustainable Improvement Targets (SDGs), including that the UN Nation Staff is engaged with the Authorities in figuring out gaps and dangers.
“Sustainable, inclusive growth may 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.