On January 14, 2020, the International Conference “Turkmenistan and International Organizations: Cooperation for Peace and Development” dedicated to the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan in the year of 2020 marked by “Turkmenistan – Home of Neutrality” has started in Ashgabat.
The President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov participated to the ceremonial opening of the International Conference.
The representatives of respected international organizations arrived to Ashgabat to attend the Conference. Also, the heads and representatives of the Government of Turkmenistan, regional executives of international organizations, including the UN, OSCE, EU, World Bank, EBRD, ADB and others, as well as the chiefs of diplomatic corps accredited in Ashgabat and representatives of local and foreign mass media participated to the event.
Speaking at the opening of the Conference, the President of Turkmenistan noted that Turkmenistan has chosen the model which has gained the name – Positive Neutrality and formulated its fundamental principles: peace-loving, noninterference in the affairs of other governments, respect of their sovereignty and territorial unity, nonparticipation to the international military organizations and pact. He added that Turkmenistan became a reliable ally and effective partner of the United Nations in the process of preserving and sustaining political stability in the region, developing good neighborly relations, friendship and cooperation.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head of Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Ms. Natalia Gherman, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan Ms. Elena Panova, Head of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat Ms. Natalya Drozd, Charge d’Affaires of the EU Delegation to Turkmenistan Mr. Lubomir Frebort, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia Ms. Ashita Mittal, Officer-in-Charge of UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office Mr. Cvetan Cvetkovski, and the Director of UNHCR Regional Office Ms.Yasuko Oda gave speeches during the Conference.
During the speeches, the unique character of the policy of Neutrality of Turkmenistan was stated which is implemented under the leadership of the Leader of nation and aimed at the attainment of global missions on sustaining stability, economic growth and security exclusively by peaceful means with the support of coordinated actions of all the participants of the international community.
In the framework of the Conference, the Annual Action Plans for 2020 were signed between the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and UNICEF, between the Ministry of Healthcare and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and UNICEF, between the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Turkmenistan and UNICEF, between the State Committee for Statistics and UNFPA, between the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan and UNICEF, between the Office of Ombudsperson of Turkmenistan and UNICEF, between the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and UNFPA, Ministry of Healthcare and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and UNFPA, between the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and UNFPA, between the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan and UNFPA, as well as the Annual Joint Action Plan for 2020 in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Representation of the United Nations on cooperation in coordination of preparedness and response to emergency.
The work of the International Conference “Turkmenistan and International Organizations: Cooperation for Peace and Development” will continue in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan in the format of plenary sessions.