United Nations - The Times Of Central Asia

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UN’s Guterres and Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov Discuss Development, Security

During his visit to Turkmenistan, the UN Secretary General António Guterres met President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to discuss strengthening cooperation in political, economic, environmental, cultural, and humanitarian spheres. President Berdimuhamedov emphasized Turkmenistan's aspiration to further develop relations with the UN. Noting the importance of the country's permanent neutrality in strengthening peace and security in the region, he recalled that on Turkmenistan's initiative, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust. Guterres praised Turkmenistan's proactive approach to solving urgent problematic issues and remarked on the country's important role in ensuring universal peace, security, and sustainable development. He also recognized Turkmenistan's efforts to address the problem of statelessness, especially in Central Asia. During the talks, both sides stressed the prolonged nature of the strategic dialogue between Turkmenistan and the UN, based on common ground regarding the organization's goals and the country's national interests. Outlining the priorities of the Turkmenistan-UN strategic dialogue, the president highlighted ensuring global security, resolving regional situations, sustainable development, and other humanitarian issues. He also proposed to develop a Global Security Strategy based on preventive diplomacy for conflict prevention, expressing a readiness for close cooperation with all interested states and UN institutions. In the context of regional cooperation, the parties noted the growing importance of Central Asia as a critical center of global energy, geopolitics, and transportation.

United Nations Demographics

UN: Central Asia’s Big Youth Population is Key to Progress

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres shook hands with presidents and addressed dignitaries in ornate halls during a tour of Central Asia last week. But he also spent a lot of time with young people, saying “their potential is largely untapped” in a region where, by United Nations estimates, people under 30 years old make up more than 50% of the population. Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal, met young climate activists in Kyrgyzstan and students in Turkmenistan. In Tajikistan, the U.N. chief said 70% of that country’s population is under 30 and told young people at a school there to hold elders to account on the pressing challenge of climate change. “You have the moral authority to talk to others - as those that suffered the impacts of climate change and are not contributing essentially to it,” Guterres said at a school established by UNICEF with funding from the European Union. “You are the victims of climate change. So, you have the right to tell the others, ‘Behave.´ Because they are not behaving.” Think globally, Guterres told the students. “It’s not Tajikistan or Uzbekistan,” he said. “No, it’s everything together.” The U.N.’s focus on young people having a say in Central Asia stems from a sense of possibility in what could shape up as an increasingly strong labor and leadership pool, as well as concern that young people with few prospects drift into unemployment and disenchantment, fueling social pressures and instability. The fertility rate in the wider region comprising Europe, North America and Central Asia has dropped in numerous countries in the last decade, while the “five Central Asian countries, Georgia, Israel and Monaco are the only countries in the region with a total fertility rate at or above replacement level,” the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe said in a report in October. At the same time, the report said, the Central Asian states are among the countries in the region that have “experienced negative net migration” since 2015, while countries receiving the largest numbers of migrants in that period were the United States, Russia, and Germany. The total population of the five Central Asian countries is about 76 million. Some of those countries, especially Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, rely heavily on remittances from nationals who struggle to find work at home and seek opportunities abroad, particularly in Russia. The alleged involvement of several Tajiks in a deadly terror attack in the Moscow area in March led to a backlash of harassment and intense scrutiny aimed at many Central Asian migrants in Russia. At a regional health forum in Kyrgyzstan last month, the Europe director of the World Health Organization, a U.N. agency, noted that Central Asia has a “significant young and educated population” at a time when European populations are aging. “This will – if the youth potential is maximized – give Central Asia an edge in the decades ahead,” the director, Dr. Hans Kluge, said.

Dialogue among Civilizations International Relations United Nations UN China

UN Supports Uzbekistan and China’s Initiative on International Day of Dialogue Among Civilizations.

The UN General Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution entitled “International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations,” which was drafted by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The main goal of the resolution is to raise awareness of the value of civilizations' diversity and promote dialogue, mutual respect, and global solidarity, states the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan According to the resolution, June 10th will be declared the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations. More than 80 countries co-sponsored the resolution, including all of the Central Asian states, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Russia. The resolution reflects the ideas proposed by the leadership of Uzbekistan at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in 2023 and the Samarkand SCO summit in 2022. The document stresses the need to promote solidarity for common security and prosperity, strive for constructive cooperation, and mobilize the international community's efforts to achieve peace and sustainable development. The resolution also highlights the contribution of all cultures and civilizations to enriching humanity and recognizes the importance of religious and cultural diversity. The document encourages tolerance, respect, dialogue, and cooperation among different cultures and civilizations.

United Nations

Kazakhstan to Send Peacekeepers on UN Missions

Kazakhstan has decided to send peacekeepers to the Middle East and Africa following a proposal by President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev. At a joint session of Parliament, deputies of the Majilis and Senate unanimously expressed their consent to send up to 430 service personnel to participate in the United Nations missions. The initiative envisages the participation of personnel from Kazakhstan in the following missions: UN Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan Heights (UNDOF, Syria - Israel), UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO, Palestine - Israel), UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS, South Sudan), and the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA, Sudan). "The Armed Forces of Kazakhstan are ready to allocate both individual servicemen as military observers and staff officers, and specialized units: infantry, medical, reconnaissance, engineering, which are most needed in UN missions," said Minister of Defense, Ruslan Zhaksylykov. To implement this decision, an international treaty will be concluded with the UN, which will determine the obligations of the parties, as well as the issues of financial and logistical support for the participation of the contingent in the mission. Transportation of service personnel and property will be at the expense of the Kazakhstani side. This decision reflects Kazakhstan's desire to look outward, take its place on the global stage, and participate more actively in international efforts. The deployment is set to begin in March 2024.

Energy United Nations Transport and Logistics

UN General Assembly Adopts Resolutions Initiated by Turkmenistan

On December 19th, 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted two resolutions initiated by Turkmenistan: “Strengthening connections between all modes of transport to achieve sustainable development goals,” and “The key role of reliable and stable energy connectivity in ensuring sustainable development." The resolution on transport was co-sponsored by 47 states, and the resolution on energy connectivity by 38 countries, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry stated. The document on cooperation in the transport sector proclaims 2026-2035 as the Decade of Sustainable Transport. The authors of the resolution invited the UN Secretary-General to continue international dialogue in this area and consider convening the Third UN Global Conference on Sustainable Transport. According to the document, the main events within the framework of the World Sustainable Transport Day in November 2024 will take place in Turkmenistan. The document on energy connectivity, meanwhile, provides for the consolidation of efforts by the international community to overcome the energy crisis facing the world, and calls for efforts to ensure the reliability and stability of cross-border supplies of energy resources. According to this document, it was proposed that the forum, “Sustainable Energy for All,” aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goals to ensure access to reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, be held in Turkmenistan in 2026.

United Nations

President Tokayev Meets with UN Secretary General Guterres

Several days ago, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He also met with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who called his country "a privileged partner that is a pillar of multilateralism, a promoter and defender of peace at the global level." Guterres in response, acclaimed Kazakhstan's continuing cooperation with the UN, particularly its focus "on strengthening peace and security, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring human rights." However, Tokayev's initiatives go still deeper than that. In a rapidly evolving global landscape, President Tokayev has articulated a series of policy proposals that not only reaffirm Kazakhstan's traditional commitment to established international norms but also introduce innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. It is particularly the newer proposals that resonate deeply with the principles of the United Nations and the broader ethos of multilateralism. "A privileged partner that is a pillar of multilateralism, a promoter and defender of peace at the global level“ -General Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary on Kazakhstan Historically, Kazakhstan has been a staunch supporter of the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, demonstrating its commitment to global peace, security and co-operation. Tokayev, a diplomatic by training, has always favoured diplomatic solutions based on the UN Charter and universally recognized international law. The crisis in Ukraine has further underscored Kazakhstan's emphasis on these principles and its belief in dialogue as the cornerstone of international relations. On the environmental front, Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan's commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and its emphasis on Climate-Positive Actions. These include investments in green-energy jobs and ending fossil fuel subsidies. He also offered new initiatives such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the Project Office for Central Asia on Climate Change and Green Energy. Such progressive solutions aim to address the dual challenges of facilitating energy transition and bolstering climate resilience. The upcoming Regional Climate Summit slated for 2026 particularly underscores Kazakhstan's proactive leadership in environmental diplomacy. It showcases the country's alignment with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as its dedication to multilateral diplomacy and consensus. Regarding trade and development, Kazakhstan's proposals at the UN play to its strength as a dynamic economy in the region. The best example of this is the proposal to establish a UN Regional Centre for SDGs for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty. With its significant agricultural production, Tokayev also suggested that Kazakhstan should act as a regional food supply hub. This proposition addresses the pressing issue of food security, thus resonating with the UN's agenda. Kazakhstan's security and disarmament proposals are particularly noteworthy. While the country has always been a proponent of the Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons, Tokayev recommended a new Strategic Plan to aim for the total renunciation of nuclear weapons by 2045. This vision is in line with the UN's disarmament goals moves toward limiting nuclear proliferation. President Tokayev also put forth the idea to establish an International Agency for Biological Safety to be tasked with...