2025 Declared as the "International Year of Peace and Trust" in Turkmenistan
2025 Declared as the "International Year of Peace and Trust" in Turkmenistan
Derya Soysal - Central Asia Expert
Photo by Derya Soysal (Celebration of the promotion of peace in the world at the Turkmen Embassy in Brussels)
2025 has been declared as the "International Year of Peace and Trust" in Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan is a Turkic state located in Central Asia. It is bordered by Uzbekistan to the north, Iran to the south, and Afghanistan to the southeast. Turkmenistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In the 1990s, Afghanistan was in a critical situation. Therefore, Turkmenistan made a smart move and declared its permanent neutrality. The United Nations recognized this on December 12, 1995. Since then, Turkmenistan has become a symbol of peace and is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its permanent neutrality this year.
Turkmenistan has become an exemplary country in international relations with its policy of permanent neutrality. December 12 is celebrated as "Neutrality Day" in Turkmenistan, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations' official recognition of this Central Asian country's neutral status. This neutrality status is tightly integrated into Turkmenistan's constitutional order.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has highlighted Turkmenistan's significant role in international relations, praising the country's contributions, especially in cooperation with the UN and regional integration. Guterres expressed his satisfaction with the deepening cooperation among Central Asian countries and noted that Turkmenistan plays a central role in this process. He also mentioned that Turkmenistan has made significant progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and that the UN will continue to support the country's development processes.
Turkmenistan adopted the concept of neutrality as a fundamental element of its political culture and used it as a strategic tool both in the process of breaking away from Russian influence and in its integration into the international community as a post-Soviet state.
According to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the country has been "a turning point in the process of producing peaceful solutions."
In conclusion, Turkmenistan's neutrality policy has allowed the country to effectively defend its national, regional, and global interests and has played an important role in maintaining stability in Central Asia. The neutrality status has further strengthened the country's constructive role in regional peace, international cooperation, and economic development. Thanks to this policy, Turkmenistan is recognized as a strong advocate of peace and cooperation on the world stage.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
On UN Day the President of Turkmenistan meets with United Nations Secretary-General | NEW YORK, UN - PERMANENT MISSION OF TURKMENISTAN TO THE UN. (s. d.). Home | NEW YORK, UN - PERMANENT MISSION OF TURKMENISTAN TO THE UN. https://un.mission.gov.tm/news/138621