A significant roundtable discussion was held in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, to mark the International Year of Peace and Trust and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality. The event, organized by the Consulate General of Turkmenistan, brought together key regional and international representatives, Orient.tm reports.
The gathering included prominent participants such as Roza Otunbayeva, Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA); Rubina Edward Culpin, Head of the UNAMA office in northern provinces; and Sagipa Jusaeva, Head of the UN Women office in Balkh province. Diplomatic representatives from the consular offices of Russia and Uzbekistan, as well as the Kazakh embassy branch in Mazar-i-Sharif, also joined the dialogue. A correspondent from Orient took part as well.
Participants discussed current regional and global issues, exchanging views on the evolving geopolitical landscape. The importance of peaceful dialogue and multilateral cooperation in the face of modern global challenges was a central theme.
Particular attention was given to Turkmenistan’s initiative to declare 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly. This initiative symbolically coincides with the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s neutrality and the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. The roundtable emphasized that this initiative reflects Turkmenistan’s active foreign policy — spearheaded by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov — aimed at promoting global peace and sustainable development.
Participants also highlighted the upcoming Ashgabat Forum, which will serve as a platform for advancing the principles of open dialogue and trust, alongside other events celebrating Turkmenistan's neutrality within the framework of the Year of Peace and Trust.
UNAMA Chief Roza Otunbayeva praised Turkmenistan’s efforts in peacebuilding and expressed interest in further expanding cooperation with UN structures. She noted that Turkmenistan and other Central Asian countries are engaged in a broad dialogue with Afghanistan’s current government - covering political, economic, and humanitarian issues, as well as regional infrastructure projects.
Otunbayeva also stressed the critical role of Central Asian countries in encouraging greater participation of Afghan women in the country’s public life.
In closing, roundtable participants unanimously reaffirmed that Turkmenistan’s policy of positive neutrality not only serves its national interests but also functions as a powerful tool for peacebuilding, security, and stability on both regional and global scales.
The meeting in Mazar-i-Sharif served as a key platform to reaffirm this role and explore further avenues for constructive regional cooperation.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 19, 2025