Natalia Gherman: Initiatives of Shavkat Mirziyoyev at UNGA contribute to formation of new formats of cooperation in Central Asia

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – On 27 October 2020, at the ISMS, a meeting was held with the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Central Asia, Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) Natalia Gherman.

During the conversation, issues of regional cooperation, interaction of Uzbekistan and the countries of Central Asia with UN structures were discussed. Special attention was paid to organizing interaction with UNRCCA on the practical implementation of the initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, put forward at the 75th anniversary session of the UN General Assembly.

Director of ISMI Eldor Aripov informed the guest about the measures taken to implement the proposals made by the Head of Uzbekistan at the UN General Assembly. Particular attention was paid to the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to hold an international conference in 2021 dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the joint implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia.

The preparation of this important high-level event in Uzbekistan is being carried out by ISMI in cooperation with a number of ministries, departments and research centers.

It is planned to gather on this platform representatives of the Central Asian states, authoritative international structures – the UN, OSCE, SCO, CIS, etc. The conference will make it possible in practice to assist in the search for collective responses to threats and challenges posed by international terrorism. Generation of new ideas and approaches is expected to increase the effectiveness of regional cooperation in ensuring security and stability in Central Asia, eradicating the conditions and causes that give rise to terrorism.

UNRCCA head Natalia Gherman emphasized that the initiatives of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, voiced from the high rostrum of the UN General Assembly, once again confirmed Uzbekistan’s firm commitment to strengthening good-neighborliness and ensuring sustainable development in the Central Asian region.

According to the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative, they fully reflect the “Samarkand spirit” formed following the historic meeting of the leaders of the Central Asian countries in Samarkand in 2017, give an even greater impetus to intensify interaction in the region, and contribute to the formation of new formats of cooperation in Central Asia.

According to Natalia Gherman, the Joint Action Plan for the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia, implemented since 2011, is a unique mechanism for uniting the efforts of the countries of the region in the fight against extremism and terrorism. This is the only successful example of the regionalization of the UN counter-terrorism strategy in the world. In this regard, Natalia Gherman expressed UNRCCA’s readiness not only to assist in holding an international conference in Uzbekistan, but also to act as its co-organizer on behalf of the UN.

At the end of the meeting, the parties agreed on joint actions with the aim of consistently implementing the proposals of the Head of Uzbekistan, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, stability and security in Central Asia.