The Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a conference “Promoting Peace: Implementation of Strategies to Strengthen Trust between Countries,” writes TDH.

The forum, held in a hybrid format, was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads of diplomatic missions of foreign states in our country and international organizations, including the UN and its specialized structures, teaching staff and students of higher educational institutions, and the media.

As noted at the forum, on March 21, 2024, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a Resolution initiated by Turkmenistan declaring 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust. This Resolution was co-sponsored by 86 countries.
The adoption of the above document clearly demonstrated the need to protect peace and trust, as well as the desire of the world community to consolidate efforts to achieve this goal.

Such broad support for the Resolution became another evidence of the compliance of the strategic goals of neutral Turkmenistan with the true interests of the world community, the active participation of our country in interstate cooperation in accordance with the UN Charter and recognized international legal norms.

In these difficult times for everyone, Turkmenistan’s initiative to declare 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust is very relevant.

The conference participants heard speeches by Ivana Zivkovic - Assistant Secretary-General of the UN, Regional Director of the Bureau for Europe and the CIS of UNDP, Kakha Imnadze - Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, Dmitry Shlapachenko - UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, John MacGregor – Head of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat.

In addition, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe Tatiana Molchan, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization Xiangchen Zhang, Deputy Director-General and Regional Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for Europe and Central Asia Viorel Gutu, Regional Director Gwi-Yeop Son, United Nations Development Coordination Office for Europe and Central Asia, addressed the forum participants via video link.

The speeches emphasized the effectiveness of Turkmenistan’s cooperation with the UN and other authoritative international organizations.

It was noted that neutral Turkmenistan, led by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who is implementing a strategy of international partnership aimed at developing friendly relations with all interested states, strives to optimally use its multifaceted potential in the name of the common good.

Then the Forum continued its work in the format of thematic sessions.