Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan addressed the 79th session of the UN General Assembly

On September 27, 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov addressed the plenary session of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

During his speech, the head of the Foreign Ministry noted the importance of combining the efforts of the international community to achieve global peace, stability and sustainable development.

It was emphasized that Turkmenistan highly appreciates the strategic multifaceted cooperation with the United Nations. Peace and security, sustainable development, climate change and humanitarian issues are highlighted among the priority areas of Turkmenistan's activities within the framework of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

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The following is the text of the speech:

Your Excellency,

Madam Chairperson,

Distinguished heads and members of delegations,

First of all, allow me to congratulate you on the opening of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

I congratulate Mr. Filemon Yan on his election as President of the General Assembly and wish him great success.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Ambassador Dennis Francis for his effective leadership of the General Assembly during the 78th session.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Turkmenistan's approaches to solving the main, pressing problems and challenges of our time are based on strategic partnership with the United Nations and cooperation with Member States.

The key condition and determining criterion in this work for Turkmenistan is commitment to the UN Charter, international legal norms, tested and proven models of relationships based on equality, sovereignty and mutual respect of all participants in international interaction.

In this vein, Turkmenistan supports the global mission of the United Nations as a conductor of the collective mandate and balance of interests of Member States.

This position was confirmed during the meetings of the UN Secretary General with the President of Turkmenistan and the National Leader of the Turkmen people during his visit to Turkmenistan this summer.

At the 79th session, Turkmenistan decided to adhere to four priorities, namely:

- peace and security;

- sustainable development;

- climate change;

- humanitarian issues.

All these areas are closely interconnected. This means that their implementation should be comprehensive, based on common principles and approaches.

In this context, Turkmenistan advocates an equal, fair and balanced approach that will ensure equal attention of the UN to all key areas of the international agenda.

In matters of peace and security, Turkmenistan's efforts at the current session will be aimed at strengthening peace and trust, enhancing the role of preventive diplomacy mechanisms, and developing peacebuilding processes in accordance with the "New Agenda for Peace".

In matters of global security, Turkmenistan places special emphasis on promoting a model of neutrality within the UN, which can provide the world community with practical tools for resolving existing and preventing potential conflicts and contradictions.

Next year, we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a resolution on international recognition of Turkmenistan's neutral status.

Over the years, our neutrality has demonstrated its compliance with the high ideals, fundamental principles and goals of the United Nations. The unanimous adoption of the relevant General Assembly resolution in 2015 demonstrated that neutrality has become the property of the entire world community.

During the 79th session, our country will promote further support for the political and legal foundations of neutrality and their application in a wide range of UN activities.

Preventive diplomacy occupies an important place here.

We are convinced that the time has come to comprehend the significance of neutrality for world politics and its potential in the modern strategic landscape.

In this regard, Turkmenistan is taking the initiative to grant neutral countries the status of priority partnership with the UN in the peacekeeping efforts of the United Nations. We are confident that this will serve as an effective incentive for the international community to more actively use the tools of neutrality and preventive diplomacy.

One of the most important aspects of the UN security agenda is the practical implementation of the General Assembly resolution declaring 2025 the "International Year of Peace and Trust".

Undoubtedly, as the state that initiated this Resolution, Turkmenistan will take a leading role in holding the relevant events next year. At the same time, we count on the support of all member states, the UN Secretariat, its leadership, so that the "International Year of Peace and Trust" becomes a manifestation of the goodwill of the world community, its desire for peace and harmony, overcoming disagreements, conflicts, and rejection of dividing lines.

In the regional dimension, the most important aspect of ensuring security is cooperation in the Afghan direction, support for the people of Afghanistan in their aspirations to begin peaceful, constructive nationwide work to restore the economy, social sphere, and resolve humanitarian problems.

In this context, I would like to dwell on large infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, implemented by our country jointly with international partners. Among them is the construction of the strategic gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India. Just two weeks ago, we began a new stage of construction of the gas pipeline on Afghan territory.

Among other significant projects is the construction of power transmission lines and fiber-optic communication lines along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan route, as well as a new railway from Turkmenistan in the Afghan direction.

Humanitarian aid from Turkmenistan to the Afghan people will be continued, including free construction of social facilities and education of Afghan students in educational institutions of our country. Thus, Turkmenistan confirms in practice its firm position of solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.

In addressing the global climate agenda, Turkmenistan will pay special attention to environmental protection in Central Asia and the Caspian region.

In this regard, our country advocates for more active and broader UN participation in saving the Aral Sea.

Turkmenistan initiated the adoption of two recent UN General Assembly resolutions on cooperation between the UN and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. In addition, in 2023, ESCAP also adopted a corresponding resolution on the modalities of creating a UN Special Program for the Aral Sea Basin.

Among other specific problems of Central Asia, but with much broader consequences and impact, we highlight desertification and depletion of water resources. All this requires more active cooperation with the UN, the physical presence of the Organization's offices in the region on a permanent basis.

Turkmenistan is ready to work in this direction.

As a concrete step, our country is working to create, in cooperation with the UN, a specialized structure - the Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies.

The Caspian Sea problem has also gone far beyond the region. In this regard, we particularly emphasize that preserving the Caspian Sea as a unique natural complex is not only the internal affairs of the coastal states, but also a problem and challenge of global scale. Approaches to their solution must be appropriate.

Therefore, Turkmenistan appeals to the UN, its specialized agencies, such as UNEP and UNDP, financial institutions, environmental funds, primarily the Global Environment Facility, and other structures with an appeal to move to systematic and targeted interaction with the Caspian states in the fight against the shallowing of the reservoir, the destruction of its ecological balance, the reduction of biodiversity, and a number of other environmental and climatic problems of the Caspian Sea.

The President of Turkmenistan proposed the Caspian Environmental Initiative at the last session of the UN General Assembly. We are ready to begin an active dialogue on this topic and hope for the full support of the General Assembly.

In matters of Sustainable Development, we propose promoting a number of specific initiatives of Turkmenistan.

In particular, we are talking about the development of the Global Framework for the Transition to a Circular Economy.

Other initiatives include the creation of

- the Global Atlas of Sustainable Transport Connectivity;

- and the Alliance for Global Energy Security and Sustainable Development.

In cooperation with the UN, we are ready to begin developing algorithms for joint work on these proposals.

Turkmenistan will continue to work with the UN to overcome the consequences of humanitarian crises, address population issues, protect motherhood and childhood, protect the rights of persons with disabilities, refugees, stateless persons, and on a number of other topics.

I would like to note that our country has done significant work to reduce and prevent statelessness. To date, more than 32 thousand people from among refugees and stateless persons have been accepted into Turkmen citizenship. Thus, this year we have implemented the adopted five-year National Action Plan to Eliminate Statelessness.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Next year, the whole world will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

We are approaching a point where responsibility, foresight, and realism must guide all our thoughts and actions. The time has come to reflect on the path we have traveled, to give assessments, to correct mistakes and shortcomings where necessary, and to move forward together, along the path of improving the activities of the Organization and its institutions.

One thing must remain unshakable – commitment to the values, principles and goals of the UN, because they have proven their viability and compliance with the fundamental, long-term interests of humanity. And around this indisputable fact today, more than ever, the unification of all responsible forces is required.

Turkmenistan believes in the UN, in its enormous creative potential. For our country, the United Nations has been and remains a unique structure with universal legitimacy.

The UN's voice must remain decisive in ensuring global peace and security, sustainable development, and solving humanitarian problems.

Turkmenistan will continue to contribute to solving global problems in the name of the future of the planet through the implementation of its priorities.

Thank you for your attention.