The Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea B.Durdyyev took part in the Eighth Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-8) which was held on October 23-25, 2023 in Suwon city, the Republic of Korea.
APUF-8 was organized by UN ESCAP and Suwon City Administration, in partnership with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea, and in cooperation with UN-Habitat, Habitat for Humanity International, as well as CityNet.
Over 1,800 representatives from national and local government, think tanks, private sector, civil society and youth organizations from across the region attended the Forum. The main purpose of the three-day Forum was to mobilize innovative solutions, common actions and effective partnerships to achieve sustainable urban development.
One of the main events of the Forum was the APUF-8 High Level Session, where ministers and senior officials from the member States of the UN ESCAP presented a statement.
Delivering his speech, Ambassador B.Durdyyev informed the participants that in recent years Turkmenistan has been actively implementing large-scale urban development programs to ensure that all residents have access to safe, quality housing, which are being carried out under the leadership of the President of Turkmenistan His Excellency Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Ambassador also emphasize that over the years, Turkmenistan has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to urban planning that placed sustainability at its core, whereas the emergence of smart cities like Arkadag has brought to light innovative solutions and sustainable development strategies that the Asia Pacific region can undoubtedly benefit from. He also noted that the lessons from Arkadag city served as a guiding light, demonstrating how smart cities can harmonize economic prosperity with sustainability.
At the end of the Session, the High-Level Communique for Sustainable Urban Development in Asia-Pacific that reflects a regional consensus on sustainable urban development was adopted. The communique seeks to promote Asian and Pacific cities as engines of progress. It also underscores advancing integrated urban and territorial planning, multi-level governance for climate resilience, inclusive urban policies for vulnerable groups, enabling environment for urban finance, digital innovation. The Communique also urges the Governments to accelerate their actions on the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement and New Urban Agenda.
