Farah Karimi with Chairperson of the Women's Union Akjemal Durdyeva, Ashgabat, 6 April 2024ASHGABAT, 7 April 2024 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on Central Asia, Senator Farah Karimi (Netherlands), has concluded a three-day visit to Turkmenistan with a focus on enhancing regional co-operation, addressing climate change challenges, and promoting women’s empowerment. This visit marked the first leg of a three-country tour of Central Asia, highlighting the OSCE PA’s commitment to dialogue and collaboration in the region.
Throughout the visit, Special Representative Karimi emphasized the importance of engaging Central Asian delegations in the activities of the OSCE PA to better understand regional concerns and security challenges. Discussions centered around key areas identified for collaboration, including climate change mitigation, joint water management, and promoting clean energy resources.
Karimi met with several interlocutors, including Chairperson of the Mejlis Dunyagozel Gulmanova, Deputy Foreign Minister Myahri Bashimova, Minister of Environmental Protection Charygeldi Babanyyazov, Chairman of the State Water Resources Committee Durdy Genjiyev, and Chairperson of the Women's Union Akjemal Durdyeva. She also met Ambassador Kaha Imnadze, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Asia and Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, and Ambassador John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
“This visit underscores the OSCE PA's dedication to fostering dialogue and co-operation in Central Asia. Turkmenistan plays an important role in addressing regional challenges such as climate change and water management,” Karimi said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to engage with Turkmenistan's leadership to explore avenues for collaboration and support. Together, we can work towards a more resilient and prosperous future for the region.”
“We highly appreciate growing co-operation with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly over the recent years,” added Chairperson of the Mejlis Dunyagozel Gulmanova. “Our collaboration with the OSCE, its institutions, and notably, the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, has been instrumental and contributes for long-term development and stability.”
Farah Karimi with Chairman of the State Water Resources Committee Durdy Genjiyev, Ashgabat, 6 April 2024Special Representative Karimi commended Turkmenistan’s efforts in addressing the multifaceted impacts of climate change, which include commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, recently announced accession to the Global Methane Pledge and support of regional climate initiatives.
Discussions also focused on effective water resources management during which Karimi brought an example of the experience of the Netherlands in addressing the issues of water scarcity, encouraged the exchange of best practices in the region and emphasized the need to preserve a viable planet for future generations.
Additionally, the discussions during the visit were focused on Turkmenistan’s commitments in promotion of women’s rights and empowerment, including the implementation of the 2021-2025 National Action Plan on Gender Equality. The Special Representative offered the OSCE’s expertise to explore strategies to combat gender-based violence and promote gender-responsive policies.
Senator Karimi will be joined by other OSCE PA members as she continues the visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, reinforcing the importance of dialogue and collaboration in addressing complex regional issues.
For more information on the work of the Special Representative on Central Asia, please click here.
