On 6 October, the delegation of Turkmenistan, headed by Mr. A. Sazakov, Chairman of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan, participated in the 76th Session of the Executive Committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva.
At the plenary session the delegation of Turkmenistan delivered a statement emphasizing the importance of strengthening the international legal foundations of peace, trust, and neutrality.
During his address, Sazakov highlighted the results of Turkmenistan’s practical implementation of its international commitments.
Fulfilling its obligations under international law, Turkmenistan successfully completed in 2024 the UN Global Campaign “#IBelong”, aimed at eradicating statelessness worldwide. Over 32,000 stateless persons have been granted Turkmen citizenship.
In recognition of these achievements, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, presented Turkmenistan with a Certificate of Achievement, acknowledging the country’s success in eliminating all known cases of statelessness.
Turkmenistan continues to actively cooperate with UNHCR in developing new programmes aimed at protecting the rights of migrants and stateless persons. It was noted that Turkmenistan’s experience serves as an inspiring example for other countries striving to eradicate statelessness and promote the rule of international law.
On the sidelines margins of the 76th Session of the UNHCR Executive Committee, Sazakov had a meeting with Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
During the conversation, both sides noted the high level of interaction between Turkmenistan and UNHCR, emphasizing the importance of further strengthening their partnership in the humanitarian sphere, particularly in the protection of the rights of refugees and stateless persons.
In turn, Mr. Filippo Grandi expressed gratitude to the Turkmen side for its comprehensive support and close attention to refugee-related issues, and asked to convey his appreciation to the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, and to the President of Turkmenistan for their consistent support of UNHCR’s activities and commitment to humanitarian principles.
Both parties reaffirmed their readiness to continue active dialogue and to further expand cooperation within the framework of international initiatives aimed at protecting and supporting refugees. ///nCa, 10 October 2025