On the Participation of the Secretary-General in the Forum of the International Year of Peace and Trust

At the invitation of the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (People's Council) of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Nurlan Yermekbayev participated in the Forum of the International Year of Peace and Trust, held on December 12, 2025, in Ashgabat.

The event was held in accordance with the United Nations General Assembly resolution declaring 2025 the International Year of Peace and coincided with the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality.

The forum was attended by 16 heads of state and government, as well as over 10 heads of executive bodies of international and regional organizations.

Participation of the Secretary-General in the Forum of the International Year of Peace and Trust

Prior to the opening of the forum the Secretary-General together with heads of state, government, and leaders of international organizations took part in a flower-laying ceremony at the Monument of Neutrality.

During his speech at the plenary session "Peace and Trust: Unity of Goals for a Sustainable Future," the Secretary-General noted that SCO member states were among the first to recognize Turkmenistan's neutral status and support its peace-loving initiatives.

Nurlan Yermekbayev recalled that the Tianjin Declaration of the Council of Heads of State, adopted on September 1, 2025, confirmed the readiness of SCO member states to act in accordance with the "Shanghai Spirit." He emphasized that its goals and objectives largely resonate with the principles of neutrality, the main ones being openness to broad partnership, receptiveness to positive global experience and an active peace-loving stance in addressing regional and global problems.

Participation of the Secretary-General in the Forum of the International Year of Peace and Trust

On the sidelines of the event the SCO Secretary-General held a meeting with the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. They discussed issues of current interaction and the further development of cooperation between the SCO and Turkmenistan in various fields. Within the framework of the forum, Nurlan Yermekbayev also met with representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).