Statement by Mr. Richard Young, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan on the occasion of the 64^th anniversary of the United Nations

Ashgabat, 24 October 2009

Excellency Mr Reshid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs,

Ambassador Miroslav Jenca, Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy,

Excellencies,     

Dear colleagues and friends,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you here this evening on the occasion of the 64^th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations.

As was highlighted in the short video we have just seen, today the United Nations delivers more humanitarian aid than any other organization – and to the toughest places, many of them affected by natural disasters and conflict. The UN also continues its wide-ranging work to support human and social development; to protect human rights and to promote the application of international human rights standards in all countries.  And the entire UN system has mobilized to address climate change and the global economic crisis and the social unrest that these problems may bring.

The United Nations has been closely cooperating with Turkmenistan since the country joined the family of nations in March 1992. The UN system in Turkmenistan has provided effective support to respond to Turkmenistan’s national priorities and needs drawing on its global knowledge base, best practices and lessons learnt. Today, we can be proud of our joint achievements and progress in made in Turkmenistan in such areas as local development and self-governance, health, education, children’s rights, environment, border management and drug trafficking control and supporting refugees and migrants. Starting in 2010, the scope of the UN-Turkmenistan cooperation will be expanded and prioritize areas such as strengthening democratization and rule of law, sustaining human development and economic growth and promoting peace and security.

These new areas of cooperation have been reflected in the new United Nations Development Assistance Framework for 2010-2015, and I am pleased to highlight that this was signed in Ashgabat by the Government of Turkmenistan and the UN System in Turkmenistan in August this year. Turkmenistan’s firm engagement with the broader UN system was also reflected by the President’s participation in the UN General Assembly in September and his proposals to promote global peace and security.

Let me conclude by expressing my sincere gratitude to the Government of Turkmenistan for its fruitful cooperation with the United Nations which I am confident will further expand. I also would like to congratulate the President, the Government and the people of Turkmenistan on the upcoming Independence Day and wish every citizen of Turkmenistan peace, prosperity, strong health and happiness.

Thank you very much.