President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, having spoken at the second UN Global Conference on Sustainable Transport, proposed to return to the proposal put forward by Turkmenistan earlier on the development of a UN Special Interregional Program for the Development of Transport.

 The head of Turkmenistan, at the invitation of the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, took part on the digital system in the second UN Global Conference on Sustainable Transport, which began its work on Thursday in the capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing.

 Noting that Turkmenistan is committed to close and broad international cooperation in the transport sector, the President recalled that it was on the initiative of the Turkmen side with the support of the UN that the first Global Conference on Sustainable Transport was held in Ashgabat in November 2016, during which modern, meeting objective realities were formulated.  Approaches to cooperation, outlined long-term plans, presented new opportunities, adopted an important Final Document.

 Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov also noted that «during the current session of the UN General Assembly, on the initiative of Ashgabat, a resolution was adopted» Strengthening links between all modes of transport to ensure stable and reliable international transport for sustainable development during and after the COVID-19 pandemic».

 According to the Turkmen leader, “the goals and objectives of such a program should be formulated on the basis of the successively adopted four resolutions of the General Assembly on the development of international partnerships in the transport sector, the Outcome Document of the First Global Conference on Sustainable Transport in 2016, and other multilateral documents on strengthening transport connectivity at the global level”.

 The President of Turkmenistan drew attention of the conference participants to the fact that “in the context of a pandemic, developing countries, first of all, having no direct access to the World Ocean, turned out to be especially vulnerable.  It was on them that the forced restrictions in transport were most affected.  And for the same reason it is more difficult for them to reach the post-crisis level”.

 “We are convinced that today the world community, represented by the UN and international institutions, needs to provide assistance and support to this category of states, including in overcoming the recession and systemic reintegration into world transport processes,” the President said.

 In this regard, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted, “continuing to contribute to maintaining a constructive and purposeful global dialogue on transport, Turkmenistan, together with the UN, plans to host an International Conference of Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries in April 2022”.

 Having invited all interested countries and international institutions to envisage their participation in the upcoming conference, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed that “as co-organizers, we are open to any meaningful initiatives, proposals and recommendations for its holding”.

 In this regard, the Turkmen leader noted that “today more than ever coordinated, responsible and far-sighted decisions aimed at minimizing the consequences of the crisis, as soon as possible attaining sustainable indicators of economic growth are important.  An important prerequisite for this could be a discussion at the UN level of issues related to the harmonization of norms and rules, simplification of customs and migration procedures, as well as other pressing problems related to international cooperation in the field of transport”.