Turkmenistan will continue to cooperate with Afghanistan on Security, Humanitarian Sector-Favors Diplomatic,Political Solution for Peace, Prosperity

Geneva; On November 23, 2020, a two-day high-level online conference on Afghanistan, organized by the Governments of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Republic of Finland in cooperation with the United Nations, kicked off in Geneva. This Conference, which brings together high-ranking representatives from dozens of countries of the world and leading international organizations, takes place every 4 years.

Turkmenistan was represented at this event by the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan R. Meredov.

In this context, the commitment of the Turkmen side was expressed to assist in the fight against international terrorism, drug trafficking, cross-border crime, for which, as noted, a cohesive and strategic approach is needed. The effectiveness of the Turkmen-Afghan partnership in this area was emphasized; in particular, the effective work of the Joint Turkmen-Afghan Commission on Security Cooperation was highlighted.

The call of Turkmenistan to expand regional and global interaction against the background of the growing risk of radical terrorism was voiced. In this regard, the commitment of Turkmenistan to the implementation of the UN counter-terrorism strategy at all levels: global, regional and national was emphasized. It was also noted that Turkmenistan welcomes and supports the involvement of Afghanistan in all regional actions on security issues.

As known, Turkmenistan supports the inter-Afghan negotiations, which started in Doha on the restoration of peace in Afghanistan, and expresses conviction in the effectiveness of diplomatic and political instruments and is also ready to assist the negotiation process by providing its political space. R. Meredov noted that the Turkmen side views this process as the beginning of the establishment of permanent peace in Afghanistan, and is an important step towards strengthening regional peace and sustainable security.

The head of the Turkmen Foreign Ministry clearly outlined three areas that the Government of Turkmenistan considers as integral in the establishment of peace in Afghanistan. These are political mechanisms, the involvement of Afghanistan in the processes of the world economy and humanitarian assistance.

In this regard, the commitment of Turkmenistan to all-round assistance to the people of Afghanistan was confirmed.

It is important to note that the Governments of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan maintain an active dialogue, which obviously makes an important contribution to the development of bilateral and regional cooperation in achieving peace, stability and security.

During the plenary session of the High-level Conference on Afghanistan, the heads of foreign affairs agencies of dozens of countries of the world, including Russia, Iran, Switzerland, the USA,as well as the representatives of the UN and its divisions, the European Union and other multilateral structures gave speeches. The event was marked by the addresses of the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and the Secretary-General of the United Nations AntónioGuterres.

The participants of the meeting discussed issues of cooperation between the Government of Afghanistan and the international community in achieving common interests: sustainable development, prosperity and peace in Afghanistan. In particular, the development vectors for 2021-2024, partnership coordination, as well as financial support for the Afghan administration were considered. The focus is on the development of a common political statement and financial mechanism for the economic development of this country.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan R. Meredov outlined the position and actions of Turkmenistan aimed at supporting the process of establishing sustainable peace in Afghanistan, including its involvement in the global economy.

It was especially emphasized that Turkmenistan is convinced of the need to involve diplomatic and political mechanisms in achieving peace in Afghanistan, which is a solid foundation for the country’s socio-economic development.

As an example, R. Meredov cited a number of initiatives of the Government of Turkmenistan aimed at supporting fraternal Afghanistan. This includes the expansion of humanitarian cooperation, and the development and implementation of large regional and international infrastructure projects in the field of energy, transport, communications and much more.

At this meeting, it was noted that Turkmenistan intends to continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan and its people.

During the meeting, at the plenary session of the High-level Conference on Afghanistan, discussions were held on issues of a social and humanitarian nature. The sides considered the possibilities of assisting Afghanistan for the earliest possible normalization of the life of the Afghan people.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan spoke about the key actions of Turkmenistan in the framework of the implementation of the national Program for the provision of humanitarian assistance by Turkmenistan to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for the coming years.

In recent years, a number of social facilities have been built with funds from Turkmenistan, including a girls’ school in Balkh province, a rural hospital in Faryab province and a maternity hospital in Herat region. The Turkmen side has also completed the construction of a 500-seat mosque located in Afghanistan, the opening of which is scheduled for the near future.

Turkmenistan stands for the expansion of cultural and humanitarian ties with Afghanistan, cooperates in the field of science and education, healthcare.