TURKMENISTAN IS COMMITTED TO EXPAND INTERACTION WITH THE UNHCR

On the 25th of February, 2021, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov had an online meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Mr. Filippo Grandi.

Within the course of the constructive negotiations the parties noted positive and active experience of the strategic partnership of Turkmenistan with the United Nations Organization and its specialized agencies. As known, humanitarian direction is an important component of the mutual dialogue.

Being the participant of the majority of fundamental documents of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Turkmenistan actively implements bold decisions in the field of eradication of statelessness. During the meeting the sides exchanged views on successfully realization of the tasks, arising from international obligations undertaken by our country for the implementation of which Turkmenistan is considered as one of the exemplary countries.

Speaking about the policy of eradication of statelessness, as one of the priority directions of state activity, it was mentioned that in January of 2019 the Government of Turkmenistan adopted National Plan of Actions for liquidation of statelessness for 2019-2024. As is known, for the last 15 years more than 26 000 people representing different ethnic groups received the citizenship of Turkmenistan.

In this context, it is important to underline that in the framework of the global #IBelong campaign to end statelessness by 2024, the Government of Turkmenistan in close collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees works together to prevent and resolve this problem.

So, having a positive experience of holding a high-level meeting on eradication of statelessness, Turkmen side put forward a proposal to hold in Ashkhabad in hybrid format Subregional Conference on Statelessness.

The parties noted a solid contribution of Ashkhabad Declaration-2012 in resolving this issue at the regional level. And in this aspect, it would be timely to hold “Ahkhabad+10” Review Conference in 2022, in view of 10 years of the adoption of the above-mentioned declaration.