Hero-Arkadag Participated in the "Unified Water" Summit

On December 3, the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, paid a working visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to attend the "Unified Water" Summit, held as part of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP-16).

In keeping with the traditions and customs of the Turkmen people, Hajji Arkadag began his visit with a pilgrimage to the sacred Kaaba in the city of Mecca. This act was a vivid expression of the continuity of the principles of the Turkmen people in successfully performing noble deeds.

In Mecca, Hajji Arkadag performed two rak'ahs of prayer, asking for a prosperous life for the Turkmen people, further development of the homeland, strengthening its prestige, and the achievement of great progress and prosperity for the independent state under the wise leadership of Hero-Arkadagly Serdar.

May all the prayers offered by Hajji Arkadag on this sacred land, considered holy in the entire Islamic world, and during the pilgrimage to the Kaaba, be accepted by the Almighty – Kabul bolsun!

Following his visit to Mecca, the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, traveled to the venue of the summit.

The Hero-Arkadag’s plane landed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which was decorated with the national flags of the summit’s participating countries.

Honor guards lined up on both sides of the red carpet leading from the aircraft stairs.

At the airport, the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, was greeted by official representatives.

A meeting with an official representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took place at the airport.

During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction with the level of mutual trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation. It was emphasized that Turkmenistan places great importance on expanding mutually beneficial relations with the countries of the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.

Expressing confidence that the "Unified Water" Summit would provide an opportunity to develop positive solutions to pressing global issues, Hero-Arkadag highly praised the level of cooperation between the two friendly countries within the United Nations.

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification aims to unite the efforts of countries and organizations at the international, regional, and national levels to combat desertification, land degradation, and mitigate the effects of drought.

The "Unified Water" Summit focused on coordinating efforts to achieve one of the Sustainable Development Goals – ensuring access to clean drinking water – and discussing positive solutions to water-related issues.

Turkmenistan has consistently maintained that water is a shared value of the world's peoples and that every individual must have access to clean drinking water. This issue should be resolved based on universally recognized norms of international law and with consideration for the interests of all countries.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in his speech at the Asia-Pacific Water Summit in 2022, emphasized that the fundamental principle of cooperation in this area must remain an unwavering commitment to equitable and fair access to water resources, recognized as a fundamental human right.

Turkmenistan actively and systematically cooperates with the international community, especially with the United Nations, on water issues.

In this regard, it is worth noting that by acceding to UN environmental agreements, including the Conventions on Biodiversity, the Protection of the Ozone Layer, Combating Desertification, and the Ramsar Convention, as well as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Global Methane Pledge, Turkmenistan remains committed to the obligations arising from these agreements.

Hero-Arkadag concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia by attending the summit, where he emphasized Turkmenistan's dedication to addressing global challenges and promoting initiatives in the area of water resource management.

Turkmenistan's proposal to establish a UN Regional Council on water management for Central Asia, headquartered in Ashgabat, underscores the country’s proactive stance in fostering cooperation on water and environmental issues.

Hero-Arkadag’s participation in the summit reaffirmed Turkmenistan's commitment to supporting global efforts to address key issues and its willingness to contribute its expertise and resources for the benefit of all humanity.

Returning from his working visit to Saudi Arabia, the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Hero-Arkadag, departed for his homeland.

Source: State Information Agency of Turkmenistan