On September 12, 2017, the seventy-second session of the UN General Assembly opened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, which will work from September 2017 to September 2018. In the course of its work, the UN General Assembly will give priority to the issues of conflict prevention, protection of human rights, promotion of Sustainable development goals, climate change and UN reforms.
Also, during the period from September 19 to September 25, 2017, a general debate will be held with the participation of heads of states and governments on "Focusing on people - striving for peace and a dignified life for all on a sustainable planet".
The interconnection of the voiced priorities of the regular session of the UN General Assembly is not accidental. The world community is aware of the need to put an end to the protracted local conflicts and related human deprivations, as well as to find sustainable solutions to the problems of modern development in the humanitarian, socio-economic and environmental fields. Therefore, speaking at the opening of the 72nd session of the General Assembly, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the United Nations should make more efforts to adapt to modern conditions and successfully fulfill its tasks.
Turkmenistan also makes a worthy contribution to solving global problems. For many years Turkmenistan has been declaring from the high rostrum of the General Assembly its priority positions, which the country will consistently defend during the work of this important UN body.
As a UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, I am pleased to note that Turkmenistan's position within the framework of the UN GA is consistent with the general theme of priority issues that will be addressed within the framework of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.
We fully support the position of the state at the regular session of the UN General Assembly. The UN also welcomes the desire of the Government of Turkmenistan to develop strategic cooperation with the United Nations to achieve universal peace, security, stability and sustainable development.
We highly appreciate the commitment of the Government of Turkmenistan to implementing the Agenda for Sustainable Development in the country until 2030. The UN is interested in deepening cooperation with Turkmenistan in nationalizing the sustainable development goals (SDG), creating a national mechanism for implementing the SDG. Especially important for us is the continuation of the initiated dialogue with the Government in the implementation and acceleration of the SDG implementation in the country. To this end, an agreement was reached to conduct a rapid integrated assessment of national strategies in key sectors to ensure that they are consistent with the key objectives of the SDG. The assessment will identify the directions in which the acceleration of the implementation of certain SDGs can positively impact the implementation of other SDGs. Potentially, such areas are: sustainable economic growth through economic diversification and human capacity building; social development for all; and mitigating climate risks and improving resilience to them. It is expected that, based on the results of the assessment, a road map will be drawn up for the SDG system implementation in the country, including the establishment of a monitoring mechanism for the SDG implementation.
Having carefully studied the priority positions of the country in the framework of the session of the UN GA regular session, the UN Agencies in Turkmenistan welcome Turkmenistan's intention to participate in the high-level political forum in 2018, annually held under the auspices of ECOSOC to review the implementation of Agenda 2030. It is known that at the meeting The UN member states will present the progress achieved in the implementation of Agenda 2030 under the theme "Transformations to create viable and sustainable to the outer commotions societies ". The UN Office in the country is ready to provide all kinds of support in the preparation of the national review from Turkmenistan.
Likewise, UN agencies are ready to assist in the implementation of the initiatives of the Government of Turkmenistan in the field of environmental protection, climate change, and in solving problems related to the Aral Sea.
We support Turkmenistan's vision of sport as an important factor in ensuring sustainable development. In this regard, the holding of the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat acquires special significance. We thank the leadership of Turkmenistan for inviting the refugee team to participate in the Games. This decision underscores the need to ensure inclusiveness in all areas of life, which is a sign of the realization of the fundamental principle of Agenda 2030: "no one should be forgotten."
In conclusion, I would like to once again express my gratitude to the Government of Turkmenistan for the continuous support of UN programs in Turkmenistan and to wish the official delegation of Turkmenistan successful work in the framework of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.
Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan
