On October 12, the 77th session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees began its work at the Palace of Nations in Geneva, Swiss Confederation. A Turkmen delegation led by Amanmuhammet Sazakov, the Chairman of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan, is participating in the session.
This session takes place in a year of special significance, as the international community marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which laid a solid foundation for enhancing the modern global system for protecting forcibly displaced persons.
During the general plenary session, the head of the delegation of Turkmenistan delivered a statement, emphasizing that the humanitarian direction is one of the most important vectors of our country’s state policy. In accordance with the Constitution of Turkmenistan, the human being is recognized as the highest value of society and the state, creating conditions for the implementation of wide-ranging efforts to guarantee the rights and freedoms of all people residing in the country.
The statement drew the special attention of the international community to the global initiative of the Honorable President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, to declare 2028 as the “International Year of Legal Law”, which was put forward in 2025 at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. It was noted that this large-scale initiative is aimed at strengthening the rule of law in the modern era and improving the effectiveness of states in fulfilling their international obligations.
From the podium of the session, it was highlighted that the successful implementation of the National Action Plan to End Statelessness in Turkmenistan for 2019–2024 has become a clear proof of the great deeds accomplished by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Hero-Arkadag, and the Honorable President for the peace and well-being of our beloved nation and the peoples of the world. Throughout the years of implementing this humanitarian policy, more than 32,000 people received citizenship of Turkmenistan, and over 5,000 individuals were granted residence permits in Turkmenistan.
As an important continuation of this course, on the eve of the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the country’s Independence, 146 foreign citizens were granted residence permits in Turkmenistan in accordance with the Decree of the Honorable President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
The Turkmen side confirmed its readiness to further strengthen international cooperation in the field of migration, expand the contractual and legal framework of interaction, develop digital information and experience exchange, as well as participate in the implementation of international programs and initiatives related to sustainable development and humanitarian cooperation. It was emphasized that effective migration management is possible only through the coordination of states’ efforts and international dialogue.
The session will continue its work until October 16.
