INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “ENSURING PEACE, STABILITY AND SECURITY: STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF DISARMAMENT”
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan
On 27 April, UNRCCA moderated the international conference “Ensuring peace, stability and security: Strengthening international and regional cooperation in the field of disarmament” organized by the Government of Turkmenistan and the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).
Senior officials representing relevant UN entities, other international and regional organizations as well as Member States, which co-sponsored the UNGA Resolution 73/338, declaring 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, took part in the conference. Opening statements were delivered by Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the CTBTO, and Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
Participants underlined the need to further strengthen the international law and international institutions to build trust and maintain peace. They outlined multilateralism as the best way to address growing challenges in the field of disarmament. The Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone in Central Asia, which entered into force in March 2009, was mentioned as an example of robust efforts of the Central Asian states to secure peace in the region.
The conference also included a youth segment where UNRCCA Preventive Diplomacy Academy graduates, Young Turkmen SDG Ambassadors and CTBTO Youth Group representatives had an opportunity to express their views and ideas. Several references were made to the UNGA Resolution 74/64 on youth, disarmament and non-proliferation, adopted in December 2019, encouraging the participation of young people and building their capacities in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation.