At a government meeting on August 29, Turkmenistan Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov presented the country’s priority positions at the upcoming 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
According to Meredov, Turkmenistan views the 80th session of the UN General Assembly as an important stage in strengthening peace and stability. In this regard, the country has been promoting significant initiatives within the UN and its structural divisions for many years, including the Resolutions “2025 – International Year of Peace and Trust” and “2023 – International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace”. The next session of the UN General Assembly provides for active participation in the development of the Special Guidelines for the observance and implementation of the principles of neutrality for the sake of peace and security, as well as consultations to establish a Mediation Chamber for Peace under the auspices of the UN.
At the same time, it is proposed to include for the first time in the agenda of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly the item “Neutrality – for the sake of peace and security”. And within its framework to submit draft resolutions “The role and importance of the policy of neutrality in maintaining and strengthening international peace, security and the process of sustainable development” and “International Mediation Day”.
In order to strengthen trust between the peoples of the planet, the country advocates holding under the auspices of UNESCO and the Alliance of Civilizations an international forum “Central Asia – a space for building a peaceful life” and, in particular, the Global Summit on a culture of peace, trust and mutual respect. The outcome of the summit will be a proposal to develop a Code of International Trust, which will become a universal basis for interstate cooperation and principles for jointly addressing global issues.
Turkmenistan also attaches priority importance to building up an effective partnership in the field of sustainable development, in the areas of transport and energy. Thanks to the initiatives of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, our country acts as a leading center of transport diplomacy at the global level. In this regard, at the anniversary session of the UN General Assembly, Turkmenistan will put forward an initiative on a Resolution declaring the “UN Decade of Sustainable Transport” for 2026-2035, which is designed to strengthen international cooperation in this area, promote the creation of new corridors and ensure accessibility for all countries, including landlocked ones.
In order to supply world markets with energy resources and ensure balanced interaction between producers, transit countries and consumers, Turkmenistan will propose a draft resolution on the key role of reliable and stable energy connectivity in achieving sustainable development. This initiative is aimed at promoting the formation of open and reliable energy flows and the integration of renewable energy sources into the global system.
In addition, in order to intensify international cooperation in the digital sphere, to use information and communication technologies in the interests of peace and progress, Turkmenistan will put forward a proposal to create a Global Digital Integration Platform under the auspices of the UN.
One of the main areas of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the UN and its specialized agencies is ensuring environmental safety, combating climate change and rational water use. The initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan in this area receive broad support from the world community. Based on them, our country will propose creating a Regional Center to Combat Desertification in Central Asia. This structure will serve as a multilateral platform for strengthening the protection of soils and ecosystems, as well as for accumulating the joint experience of states.
Among the important vectors of interaction is the preparation of Regional Conventions on the Amu Darya and Syr Darya River Basins, which will form a reliable international legal framework for the efficient and equitable use of transboundary water resources.
Turkmenistan will also continue the practical implementation of the proposal to establish a Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies in Central Asia as an effective step in the context of a strategic approach to environmental issues in the region. In addition, it is planned to continue systematic and planned activities to develop a UN Special Program for the Aral Sea Basin and address its objectives jointly with the Central Asian states.
Along with this, taking into account the global significance of the Caspian Sea, it will be proposed to hold the second Caspian Environmental Forum in 2026 within the framework of the Caspian Environmental Initiative put forward by the President of Turkmenistan.
The Priority Positions also reflect such a relevant area as humanitarian cooperation. Based on the initiatives of the head of state in this area, it is planned to hold an international conference “Women, Peace and Security” within the framework of the Dialogue of Women of Central Asia. In addition, in order to increase the activity of young people in international relations and peacekeeping initiatives, expand the activities of the Central Asian Youth Dialogue, a proposal will be put forward at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly to establish a Regional Platform for the Training of Young Peacekeepers in Ashgabat.
In order to develop intercultural dialogue and the practical implementation of the UN General Assembly resolutions on supporting multilingualism in international relations, it is proposed to proclaim the “International Day of Multilingual Diplomacy” and to adopt the Resolution “The Cultural Heritage of the Great Silk Road as a Basis for Peace and Development”.
In the context of cooperation with the UN in the legal sphere, based on the initiatives of the head of state, Turkmenistan puts forward important proposals on the role and significance of international law. One of them is to declare 2028 the Year of International Law. “In this regard, in the coming years, our country will actively act as a member of the relevant Councils in the UN structure. Preparatory work will also continue on the election of Turkmenistan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period 2031-2032 and for other elective positions,” the minister noted.
The priority positions of Turkmenistan at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly are planned to be sent to the Secretariat of the United Nations and distributed among the UN member states.
