President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said in Dushanbe that the SCO's support for Turkmen initiatives in the fight against the pandemic is in the interests of the whole world. The Turkmen leader said this, speaking at the anniversary summit of the heads of the SCO member states.
The Turkmen leader noted: «Today, when the whole world is faced with new serious challenges, the role of the SCO is objectively increasing. And of course, its capabilities, accumulated experience, in addition to traditional areas of joint activities, are in demand in the context of tasks related to minimizing the consequences of the pandemic, restoring continental economic and transport links, infrastructure and logistics».
In this regard, Berdimuhamedov informed the summit participants that Turkmenistan, together with the UN, plans to host the International Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries in April 2022.
The President said: «We regard it as a good opportunity for a concrete and practical dialogue on international transport cooperation in emergency and post-crisis periods. We invite your states to participate in this important international forum».
He stressed that in order to directly combat the coronavirus, Turkmenistan stands for the consolidation of efforts and systemic communication of the medical communities of the states and proposes to intensify joint work in WHO and specialized UN bodies.
According to the Turkmen leader, in particular, Ashgabat is initiating the creation of the WHO Special Program for the Study of the Coronavirus Genome, the WHO multilateral mechanism for the fight against pneumonia, the WHO Methodological Center for the Treatment and Prevention of Acute Infections and the Central Asian Regional Center for Epidemiology, Virology and Bacteriology.
Berdimuhamedov said: «We are convinced that the SCO's support for these initiatives will contribute to their effective implementation in the interests of the whole world, thereby contributing to the establishment of adequate and systemic international infections in the long term».
