UNRCCA convenes Fifth Central Asian Expert Forum
On 10 December 2022, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, UNRCCA in partnership with the Government of Turkmenistan, represented by the Scientific Centre of Strategic Studies of the Institute of International Relations, organized Fifth Central Asian Expert Forum (CAEF). Directors and leading experts of the Institutes of Strategic Studies from all five Central Asian states as well as members of the diplomatic community in Turkmenistan attended the Forum.
The Expert Forum, initiated by the UNRCCA in 2018, serves as a platform for leading Central Asian think-tanks for discussions on most outstanding issues of the regional agenda, aimed at deepening regional cooperation in all the key areas of interaction. The 5th Central Asian Expert Forum was devoted to the 27th anniversary of Neutrality of Turkmenistan and the 15th anniversary of UNRCCA.
At the opening of the Forum, SRSG Natalia Gherman noted that the CAEF established itself as an important regional platform and has largely contributed to much needed exchanges, expertise, as well as to formulating recommendations for the annual Consultative meetings of the Leaders of the five states of the region. The CAEF in Ashgabat was held against the backdrop of improved regional dynamics in Central Asia, especially account taken of the complex international situation globally. The Forum has also contributed to the activities of the Regional Centre in such areas as, countering terrorism and extremism, transboundary water management and climate change, advancing the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda and promoting Women, Peace and Security Agenda.
Participants focused on substantive discussions on such topical issues, as cooperation in addressing climate change and transboundary water resources management, food security and security in information and communication technologies.
As a result of the discussions, a set of concrete recommendations and ideas were proposed and would be submitted to Central Asian states for further consideration.
SRSG Natalia Gherman co-hosts Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus Annual Meeting
On 10 December, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Asia and Head of the UNRCCA, Natalia Gherman, co-hosted the annual meeting of the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus (CAWLC) jointly with the Mejlis of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The CAWLC was inaugurated in December 2020 with the support of UNRCCA and UNDP as a platform in the region committed to enhancing the political, economic and social participation of women in Central Asia.
The meeting focused on CAWLC’s activities and achievements during 2022 and the platform’s activities envisaged for 2023.
Emphasizing the pertinence of the CAWLC, SRSG Gherman noted: “The platform serves as a great example of the regional co-operation. It spearheads the regional dialogue and collaborative approach to promotion of implementation of the Women Peace and Security Agenda and symbolizes the Central Asian States’ commitment to jointly address challenges in the field of gender equality in the region.” She commended the expansion of the CAWLC’s purview throughout 2022, encompassing such topical issues as the situation of women in the context of the climate change, gender-based violence and the role of women parliamentarians in countering violent extremism and terrorism.
Looking ahead, SRSG Gherman called on the CAWLC to strengthen cooperation with civil society organizations, step up effort to increase participation of women in peacebuilding processes across the region and explore the ways to engage with women of Afghanistan.
The annual meeting concluded with the adoption of the CAWLC’s Declaration reiterating the commitment to promotion of gender equality and women empowerment in the region.
The Presidency of the Caucus was unanimously passed on to Kazakhstan.
Read more about the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus: https://unrcca.unmissions.org/women-leaders-caucus
UNRCCA convened Annual Meeting with Deputy Foreign Ministers of Central Asian States
Twelfth annual Meeting of Deputy Foreign Ministers of Central Asian states, organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) with the support of the Government of Turkmenistan, took place on 11 December, in Ashgabat.
The purpose of the annual meeting was to exchange views on developments and trends affecting peace and security in Central Asia as well as to discuss the cooperation between UNRCCA and the Governments of the region in areas related to preventive diplomacy.
Addressing the meeting, the Special Representative of Secretary-General for Central Asia, Head of UNRCCA, Natalia Gherman underlined that “despite the current challenging global situation, countries of the region maintained regular contacts at different levels, including at the highest political level, to secure cooperation in the security, energy, climate change and other fields”.
On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of UNRCCA, the Deputy Foreign Ministers appreciated the long-standing partnership and trust, developed over years, between the Governments of the Five Central Asian states and UNRCCA. They expressed support to the activities of the Regional Centre in its priority areas, including preventing extremism and countering terrorism, climate change and water diplomacy as well as dialogues on “Women, Peace and Security” and “Youth, Peace and Security”.
Within the framework of the high-level meeting, the UNRCCA hosted the Fourth Dialogue between the Governments and youth of Central Asia. Ten Preventive Diplomacy Academy participants, representing all five countries of the region, met with the Deputy Foreign Ministers to share their vision on the future of the region.
The Twelfth Meeting of Deputy Foreign Ministers of Central Asian states concluded a series of events devoted to the 27th anniversary of Neutrality of Turkmenistan and the 15th anniversary of UNRCCA, which took place in Ashgabat on 10-11 December 2022.
[Received as separate stories from UNRCCA. Published as aggregate material by nCa on 12 December 2022]