President Serdar Berdimuhamedov Receives New UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan

Ashgabat, The Gulf Observer: President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on Monday received the newly appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, Xiaojun Grace Wang, who presented her credentials and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Central Asian nation.

Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Xiaojun Grace Wang said it was a great honour to meet the President of Turkmenistan and praised the country’s continued progress and development under his leadership. She also conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to President Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

President Berdimuhamedov congratulated Wang on her appointment and wished her success in her diplomatic mission, expressing confidence that she would further strengthen the long-standing partnership between Turkmenistan and the United Nations.

The President also conveyed his best wishes to Secretary-General António Guterres, reaffirming that Turkmenistan, whose status of permanent neutrality has been recognized three times by the United Nations, remains committed to expanding constructive relations with countries around the world and leading international organizations.

Highlighting the importance of the United Nations in Turkmenistan’s foreign policy, President Berdimuhamedov described cooperation with the UN and its specialized agencies as one of the country’s key diplomatic priorities. He noted with satisfaction the consistently productive and effective nature of bilateral engagement across a wide range of sectors.

The President recalled the successful hosting of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries last year, as well as international events dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust 2025 and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality. He also underscored the important role played by the Turkmenistan–United Nations Strategic Advisory Council in advancing bilateral cooperation.

President Berdimuhamedov emphasized that Turkmenistan and the UN have successfully implemented numerous joint programmes and projects over the years in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He noted that cooperation is currently guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2026–2030, describing the document as a reflection of the long-term, strategic and mutually beneficial partnership between the two sides.

Reaffirming Turkmenistan’s appreciation for the UN’s constructive role in addressing global challenges, the President stressed the country’s commitment to continuing close collaboration with the international organization.

For her part, Xiaojun Grace Wang said it was a privilege to represent the United Nations in Turkmenistan and pledged to make every effort to further deepen cooperation and support the country’s sustainable development priorities.

Concluding the meeting, President Berdimuhamedov expressed confidence that the new UN Resident Coordinator would make a valuable contribution to strengthening Turkmenistan–UN relations and advancing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, wishing her every success in her new assignment.