On February 17, 2025, in Seoul, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea B. Durdyev met with the President of the Assembly and Chairman of the Board of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the eighth UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss the prospects for bilateral cooperation.
During the meeting, Ban Ki-moon congratulated Turkmenistan on the 30th anniversary of Permanent Neutrality and the proclamation by the UN General Assembly of 2025 as the “International Year of Peace and Trust”. He highly appreciated Turkmenistan's steadfast commitment to the policy of neutrality over the past three decades, active support for regional peace and development, as well as commitment to humanitarian foreign policy, calling them exemplary.
Recalling his long-term interaction with Turkmenistan, Ban Ki-moon spoke warmly of his visits to Ashgabat in 2010, 2015 and 2016 during his tenure as UN Secretary-General, as well as his meetings with the Head of State. In this context, he asked to convey his best wishes to the Leadership of Turkmenistan, highly appreciating their continuous contribution to maintaining global peace and stability.
Ambassador B. Durdyev provided an overview of the key events planned both domestically and internationally in honor of the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's Neutrality and the International Year of Peace and Trust in 2025. In particular, he noted the International Forum scheduled for 11-12 December this year, as well as the planned events of Turkmenistan within the framework of the Concept of Activities and Priorities for the Year.
Ban Ki-moon expressed gratitude for the information provided and confirmed his readiness to support and contribute to Turkmenistan's initiatives and events in 2025, as appropriate.
During the meeting, the parties also exchanged views on expanding cooperation through the exchange of experience in the field of green development, the introduction of innovative technologies and joint efforts to strengthen mechanisms for sustainable forest management.
