A briefing by the Head of UNRCCA was held in New York

On August 11, 2023, a briefing was organized at the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the UN with the participation of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) Kaha Imnadze and Permanent Representatives of Central Asian States.

K.Imnadze informed about the report to the UN Security Council on the activities of the Center that had taken place the day before. According to him, the report was held in a positive and constructive manner, it was emphasized that the members of the UN Security Council positively assessed the work of the Regional Center and supported further efforts to strengthen its mandate.

During the briefing, K. Imnadze, in particular, informed about the following aspects, which were given special attention during the semi-annual report to the UN Security Council:

• Progress in promoting multilateral frameworks for collaboration between Central Asian countries and other regions, with emphasis on the significant Summits conducted in 2023 in the format of "Central Asia-European Union," "Central Asia-China," and "Central Asia-Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf";
• Outcomes stemming from the Summit of the Presidents of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan on August 4 in Ashgabat. The efficacy of this format in advancing cooperation regarding energy security, transportation connectivity, and responsible use of water resources was underscored;
• Preparations for the forthcoming Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State, scheduled for September 14-15 in Tajikistan, along with the Summit of Founding States of IFAS, aligned with the same timeline;
• Sustained development of the Zone of Peace, Trust, and Cooperation of Central Asia, in alignment with UN General Assembly resolution 76/299 and reflective of outcomes from the General Assembly debate on this matter held on May 16, 2023;
• Evolution of previously established mechanisms for interaction between regional countries and Afghanistan, with the UNRCCA support;
• Heightened significance of trans-regional energy projects such as TAPI and CASA-1000, serving as critical drivers for enhancing economic and political stability in the region;
• Activities within the Joint Plan of Action on implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia;
• The pivotal role of the Center's collaboration with regional organizations;
• The imperative of nurturing multilateral platforms established within the region through the assistance of the Regional Center, notably the Central Asian Women's Dialogue and the Preventive Diplomacy Academy (PDA).

During the meeting, the Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the UN A.Atayeva, expressing the firm support of the Turkmen side of the activities of the Regional Center, noted the need to further increase its capacity and intensity of activities in accordance with the priority areas outlined in the resolutions of the UN General Assembly on the role of the Center, adopted at the initiative of Turkmenistan in 2017, 2021 and 2023.

The existing wide opportunities for using the potential of Turkmenistan as a neutral state and host country of the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy to establish and develop a multilateral dialogue with the authorities of Afghanistan were noted.

Plans were also reported to establish, with the support of the Center, a Central Asian Youth Dialogue and hold its first meeting in the fourth quarter of 2023 in Turkmenistan.