The United Nations General Assembly passes a Resolution on the Role of the Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia

21 Nov 2017

The United Nations General Assembly passes a Resolution on the Role of the Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia

Ashgabat, 21 November 2017: As the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), located in Ashgabat, marks its 10th anniversary, The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution highlighting the central role of the Centre in “encouraging political dialogue directed towards collective actions to address common challenges and development of economic and social cooperation in the region of Central Asia”.   

The resolution, initiated by Turkmenistan and co-sponsored by 57 countries, including all Central Asian states, equally recognizes the Centre as an important entity that contributes to fostering preventive diplomacy across the region.  By its terms, the resolution encourages the Centre to continue liaising with Governments in the region on issues relevant to preventive diplomacy and welcomes its assistance in implementing initiatives of Central Asian countries that aim at creating a stable, peaceful and prosperous region. 

In her introduction, the permanent representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations noted that since its establishment, the Centre has become an excellent platform for regional dialogue on the management of common resources, as well as for cooperation in combatting terrorism, violent extremism, organized crime, drug and other forms of trafficking. 

The UN plenary body also underlined the Centre’s efforts in supporting the aspirations of the countries of the region to establish a “model of a Central Asian regional zone of peace, security, cooperation and development, taking into account the experience gained in regional cooperation as well as the assistance of the international community, represented by the United Nations”. 

Since in its establishment 2007, and as per its mandate, the Centre had provided Governments with a platform to discuss the most contentious regional issues and convened regular regional meetings which allow Central Asian leaders to focus and jointly respond to common threats and challenges.  In 2017, UNRCCA facilitated the visit of the Secretary‑General to all five countries in the region, which presented an opportunity to renew United Nations support to ongoing regional cooperation efforts.

The UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia welcomes the Resolution72/7 of 17 November 2017 on the role of the UNRCCA for Central Asia and thanks Turkmenistan for the initiative, the Central Asian states for co-authoring and 57 UN Member States that co-sponsored the Resolution that reflects our joint efforts to cooperate for peace and development in the region. 

Click here to view the Resolution adopted by the General Assembly