Issues of intensifying efforts in support of refugees discussed

The State Migration Service of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting with the representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Central Asia Hans Friedrich Schöder, the website of the Service reports.

At the meeting, the positive experience of strategic cooperation between Turkmenistan and the UN and its specialized bodies was noted. The parties exchanged views on further prospects and opportunities for interaction between our country and the United Nations.

The UNHCR representative emphasized the importance of Turkmenistan's efforts to eradicate statelessness, and also expressed confidence in the continuation of humanitarian initiatives and obligations arising from international obligations. At the end of the meeting, the parties spoke in favour of expanding effective cooperation between Turkmenistan and the UN and expressed their readiness to carry out relevant activities in the areas discussed.

Representatives of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan also took part in the «Sub-regional round table in preparation for the Global Forum on Refugees», held on the 13th of April in Almaty, the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the meeting, issues to the intensification of related efforts in support of refugees and stateless persons in the region were discussed. Its participants got acquainted with international experience in the field of migration, exchanged views on the prospects and opportunities for their activities in preparation for the Global Forum on Refugees.

The Global Forum on Refugees, in which Turkmenistan will take part, is scheduled to be held in Geneva on the 13th - 15th of December. The agenda of the forum includes issues of intensifying the efforts of states to support this category of people, discussing new obligations to implement the Global Compact on Refugees.

Turkmenistan is the only country in Central Asia that has ratified all four major UN conventions relating to UNHCR's mandate to work with refugees and stateless persons, as well as the first country in the region to be elected a permanent member of the UNHCR Executive Committee. Turkmenistan demonstrates to the world community its commitment to fulfill its obligations under these international conventions by accepting thousands of people into the ranks of its citizens. This is a significant contribution by the country to the goals of the global campaign to end statelessness.

https://turkmenistan.gov.tm/en/post/71768/issues-intensifying-efforts-support-refugees-discussed