WATER DIPLOMACY OF TURKMENISTAN
Turkmenistan is implementing a foreign policy based on the principles of positive neutrality, peacefulness, “open doors,” good neighborliness and equal, mutually beneficial cooperation with all interested foreign partners. By developing fruitful relations at the interstate level, our country demonstrates its continued commitment to constructive dialogue in a multilateral format.
Water resources are of great importance to life on planet Earth. The main purpose of water is to support the life of all living things - plants, animals and humans. Water diplomacy, initiated by Turkmenistan, is a new vector of diplomatic activity and one of the key aspects of the foreign and domestic policy activities of our state. Creating environmental safety in Turkmenistan, environmental protection issues, efficient use of natural resources, development of international cooperation in this area are some of the main directions of state environmental and water policy.
At the initiative of the Hero-Arkadag, shown during the VII World Water Forum, the newest vector of diplomatic activity is being promoted at the UN - water diplomacy. One of the fundamental aspects of Turkmenistan’s domestic and foreign policy activities is the meaningful use of water resources. A careful approach to the use of the world's water reserves can ensure environmental well-being and effective environmental protection, and become one of the main components of sustainable development at the global level. All these issues were reflected in the 2030 Agenda.
Turkmenistan, along with other Central Asian countries, pays special attention to improving the efficiency of water resource use. The fundamental principles of Turkmenistan’s water diplomacy, commitment to the principle of equal and fair access to water resources, recognition of it as a fundamental human right and the responsibility of states to ensure the right to access to water, were confirmed in the video message of the respected President to the participants of the Fourth Asia-Pacific Water Summit.
As an active participant in world conventions affecting this area, Turkmenistan makes a significant investment in practical implementation. The state is focused on multilateral cooperation, which makes it possible to establish a systematic dialogue, the purpose of which is to resolve issues regarding the restoration of water supply sources, their economical and rational consumption. The key task of water diplomacy is to build a large-scale multilateral dialogue towards developing a long-term strategy for saving the planet’s water resources.
Turkmenistan cooperates with the international community on water issues, in particular relations with the UN, based on program documents adopted in 2012 at the conference UN “Rio+20”, at the VII World Water Forum, held in 2015 in the city Tegu (Republic of Korea), 2018 at the international forum in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and in other forums. Together with the largest international organizations – the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World environmental fund, the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) - Turkmenistan is implementing a massive staff projects in the field of environmental protection and rational use of natural resources.
At sessions of the UN General Assembly, as well as at high-level conferences on sustainable development, Turkmenistan has taken initiatives in the field of environmental protection, careful use of water and energy resources, and reducing the risks of natural disasters. In the context of the consistent implementation of water diplomacy, Turkmenistan initiated the adoption by the UN General Assembly in April 2018 and May 2019 Resolutions on cooperation between the UN and IFAS.
Water diplomacy is one of the priority areas of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy, in accordance with important national initiatives have been put forward in the field of rational use of water resources and strengthening international cooperation in this area, in particular the proposal to develop a UN Water Strategy, the establishment of a UN Special Program for the Aral Sea Basin and the creation Regional Center for Technologies Related to Climate Change in Central Asia. In matters of water diplomacy, our country is guided by the interests of the world and the region, putting forward important foreign policy initiatives.
Thus, by successfully implementing a constructive foreign policy strategy, our country is making a significant contribution to ensuring global peace and progress and achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals.
Tofe Hoshanova,
Lecturer of the Institute of International Relations
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.