High-Level Meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development (10 December 2022)

CONCEPT NOTE

High-Level Meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development

Background

Today, the international community is struggling to keep pace with the development of every conflict. It is becoming more difficult for us to put an end to conflicts and ensure the maintenance of sustainable peace. In the face of political tension and escalating crises, it is of great importance to uphold the principles of sovereignty and the sovereign equality                of     States,                territorial    integrity,   self-determination                     and   non- intervention in the internal affairs of any State, and to defend, promote and encourage the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security are not endangered.

The policy of Neutrality contributes to the strengthening of peace and security in relevant regions and at the global level and plays an important role in developing peaceful, friendly and mutually beneficial relations between the countries of the world.

It is worth noting that the policy of neutrality — a key factor for providing conditions and building a platform for peaceful negotiations — is also closely interconnected with and based on the tools of preventive diplomacy, such as early warning and prevention of conflict, mediation, good offices, fact-finding missions, negotiation, the use of special envoys, informal consultations, peacebuilding and targeted development activities.

Hence, preventive diplomacy is a core function of the United Nations and is central to the role of the United Nations Secretary-General, including the special political missions of the United Nations and the good offices of the Secretary-General in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

In order to facilitate regular dialogue internationally, in particular within the United Nations, on the practical use of peacekeeping potential of states building their policies on the principles of neutrality, Turkmenistan initiated the establishment of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development.

 

In September 2020 this Group was formally established and today more than 20 countries joined it, in particular, the co-sponsors of the United Nations General Assembly resolutions “International Day of Neutrality” of February 2, 2017, “The Role and Importance of a Policy of Neutrality in Maintaining and Strengthening International Peace, Security and Sustainable Development” of December 7, 2020.

This informal association serves as a platform to maintain under the auspices of the United Nations a wide multilateral dialogue on the practical implementation of the principles of neutrality in preventing conflicts, eliminating their causes and consequences, and addressing humanitarian issues.

Turkmenistan believes that regular meetings of the Group of Friends of Neutrality will lead to the establishment of a stable political and diplomatic mechanism for promoting the principles of neutrality in international relations, and strengthening multilateral cooperation based on the ideals of peace, mutual respect and understanding.

Objectives

The upcoming High-Level Meeting of the Group will consider future institutional steps in defining the format and working methods for this multilateral dialogue as a tool for strengthening global peace and security.

Turkmenistan is looking forward to receiving proposals and recommendations on the following draft format of the Group:

• The Group of Friends has an informal, open-ended nature, and, accordingly, its composition shall be regularly updated, as Member States, Observers and UN entities indicate their willingness and interest in joining it, subject to the approval of its membership;
• The Group of Friends shall meet regularly, at the PR-level, at least every six (06) months. Extraordinary meetings can be convened to address/discuss specific questions, at the request of its members;
• The Group of Friends meets once a year at the level of Foreign Ministers at a pre-agreed venue;
• The Group of Friends will be coordinated by two (02) co-chairs (Turkmenistan and any member country willing to co-chair) for a term of one (01) year and, upon completion of that term, the principle of geographical rotation will be observed for the transfer of the coordination.

 

All proposals on the format and modalities of the Group will be accumulated in the draft Ministerial Declaration to be circulated by Turkmenistan in advance.

Date and venue

The High-Level Meeting will be held on December 10, 2022 (5 pm– 6 pm, local time) in a mixed format, in person in Ashgabat and virtually on the Zoom platform. Link to connect virtually will be distributed to all participants in due time.

Languages

Simultaneous interpretation in English and Russian will be provided.

Format, agenda and modalities

United Nations Member States, international, regional and sub- regional organizations are invited to participate in the Meeting.

The host country will provide accommodation, meals and transportation within Turkmenistan for delegations planning to participate in the Meeting physically/in person.

Registration of participants and contact information

Pre-registration is currently open at the following Internet link, which will be available until December 2, 2022.

The Organizing Committee could be reached by e-mail DPG.Forum@gmail.com, and by phone +993 12 445737. Copies of requests should also be sent to the following e-mail addresses: iod@mfa.gov.tm and durdymammet.ilmammedov@un.org.