As part of his official visit to Turkmenistan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres met with President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Trend reported.
The UN chief thanked Turkmenistan for hosting the Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat and praised Turkmenistan’s policy of neutrality.
“Turkmenistan plays a very important role in international relations, in particular in its interaction with the United Nations. I commend Turkmenistan’s policy of neutrality in these turbulent times,” he said.
He congratulated Turkmenistan on its successful initiatives, such as the General Assembly’s declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, as well as its leadership in the field of sustainable transport. The UN chief also thanked the country for its contribution in assisting the people of Afghanistan.
Guterres said Central Asia continues to face many obstacles to development, including water scarcity, land degradation, natural disasters and communication constraints.
“Solutions to these problems are interrelated and can be found through dialogue and cooperation, and Turkmenistan plays an important role in this process,” the Secretary-General added.