The solemn ceremony of opening of the First International Conference on the Problems of Refugees in the Muslim World Turkmenistan organized by the Government of Turkmenistan in collaboration with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) took place at the conference hall of the Sergi köşgi Exhibition Center. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attended the ceremony of opening of the conference.
As is known, the Turkmen leader’s initiative to hold the international conference in Ashgabat put forward at the 66th session of the UN General Assembly was widely supported by the world community. The delegations of the countries, members of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, representatives of 40 international and intergovernmental organisations, observers representing 21 countries, including Russia, China, the US, European Union countries, etc., and representatives of the leading foreign news agencies arrived in the Turkmen capital to take part in the international conference. The cabinet ministers, representatives of the National Parliament, ministries and departments, public organisations of Turkmenistan, and Turkmen journalists represent our country at the conference.
Early morning the President of Turkmenistan arrived to the Sergi köşgi Exhibition Center. Before the beginning of the conference, the Turkmen leader met with the heads of the delegations. Then the solemn ceremony of opening of the International conference took place at the conference hall of Sergi köşgi.
Greeting the conference participants, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that Turkmenistan considered the meeting in Ashgabat as an evidence of the tremendous interest of the world community in the positive experience accumulated by our country to address the issues of refugees and stateless persons.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov underlined that our country stood steadfast to the undertaken international commitments. “As a member of the United Nations Organisation, actively cooperating with international organisations in order to ensure peace and security, recognition of the high human goals and values, Turkmenistan acceded to numerous international treaties and conventions in this area, including the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees”.
“In 2011 our country acceded to the UN Convention “On the Status of Stateless Persons”, at present the procedures on ratification of the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness are under completion. Since the first years of independence the large-scale work has been done to implement the key provisions of the international and legal acts into the national legislation”.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that since 1995 the UN High Commissioner for Refugees successfully worked in Turkmenistan. “Dozens of projects and programmes that contribute to solution of the issues on refugees and stateless persons have been implemented within the years of the long-term efficient partnership”, said the President of Turkmenistan.
The Turkmen leader noted that Turkmenistan was one of the first countries in the region to start paying particular importance to these issues. “As a result of the humanitarian policy pursued by our country, Turkmenistan has become a second Motherland for the citizens of some neighboring and other states, who were forced to leave their homes and countries for various reasons”, said the leader of the nation.
In 2005, more than 13,000 people, of them about 9,500 refugees received the Turkmen citizenship on a voluntary basis. Moreover, more than 3,000 persons were granted the residence permits, 1,800 of them - refugees.
In 2011, Turkmenistan granted citizenship to more than 3,000 people living on the territory of our country. The President of Turkmenistan stated that today we could say with certainty that humanitarian actions taken by the Government of our country, not only enriched the international experience in this sphere, but also attracted attention of the entire world community.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed belief that valuable offers on developing international cooperation that would contribute to solution of the issues on refugees would be presented within the framework of the conference.
The Turkmen leader’s address was greeted with a storm of applause.
Then the floor was given to Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. Underlining that over 17 million of refugees and displaced persons live in the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the guest focused on the importance of further collaboration to address the existing problems.
Then, Mr. Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees underlined the historical significance of the Ashgabat conference. 57 OIC member states received 50 % of the refugees under UNHCR's mandate, 17.6 million of persons including refugees and stateless persons in 2011. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, today, the OIC member states carry out an active work to address the problems of displaced persons in various regions of the world.
Upon completion of the solemn ceremony the President of Turkmenistan wished the forum participants successful fruitful work and left the venue.
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The first plenary sitting “Refugees in the Muslim World: analysis of the situation of the present period” took place at the conference hall of the Sergi köşgi Exhibition Center.
On behalf of the President of Turkmenistan a dinner was given for participants of the International Conference at the Mizan Business Center.
Within the framework of the second day of the conference it is planned to hold the plenary sittings on improvement of work to protect refugees and the presentation of the book by Doctor Ahmed Abu Al-Vafa dedicated to the asylum in Islam and the international law on refugees. It is also planned to hold a special section dedicated to the work carried out by Turkmenistan on stateless persons.
The Ashgabat Declaration will be adopted on the outcomes of the International conference.
As is known, the Turkmen leader’s initiative to hold the international conference in Ashgabat put forward at the 66th session of the UN General Assembly was widely supported by the world community. The delegations of the countries, members of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, representatives of 40 international and intergovernmental organisations, observers representing 21 countries, including Russia, China, the US, European Union countries, etc., and representatives of the leading foreign news agencies arrived in the Turkmen capital to take part in the international conference. The cabinet ministers, representatives of the National Parliament, ministries and departments, public organisations of Turkmenistan, and Turkmen journalists represent our country at the conference.
Early morning the President of Turkmenistan arrived to the Sergi köşgi Exhibition Center. Before the beginning of the conference, the Turkmen leader met with the heads of the delegations. Then the solemn ceremony of opening of the International conference took place at the conference hall of Sergi köşgi.
Greeting the conference participants, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that Turkmenistan considered the meeting in Ashgabat as an evidence of the tremendous interest of the world community in the positive experience accumulated by our country to address the issues of refugees and stateless persons.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov underlined that our country stood steadfast to the undertaken international commitments. “As a member of the United Nations Organisation, actively cooperating with international organisations in order to ensure peace and security, recognition of the high human goals and values, Turkmenistan acceded to numerous international treaties and conventions in this area, including the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees”.
“In 2011 our country acceded to the UN Convention “On the Status of Stateless Persons”, at present the procedures on ratification of the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness are under completion. Since the first years of independence the large-scale work has been done to implement the key provisions of the international and legal acts into the national legislation”.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that since 1995 the UN High Commissioner for Refugees successfully worked in Turkmenistan. “Dozens of projects and programmes that contribute to solution of the issues on refugees and stateless persons have been implemented within the years of the long-term efficient partnership”, said the President of Turkmenistan.
The Turkmen leader noted that Turkmenistan was one of the first countries in the region to start paying particular importance to these issues. “As a result of the humanitarian policy pursued by our country, Turkmenistan has become a second Motherland for the citizens of some neighboring and other states, who were forced to leave their homes and countries for various reasons”, said the leader of the nation.
In 2005, more than 13,000 people, of them about 9,500 refugees received the Turkmen citizenship on a voluntary basis. Moreover, more than 3,000 persons were granted the residence permits, 1,800 of them - refugees.
In 2011, Turkmenistan granted citizenship to more than 3,000 people living on the territory of our country. The President of Turkmenistan stated that today we could say with certainty that humanitarian actions taken by the Government of our country, not only enriched the international experience in this sphere, but also attracted attention of the entire world community.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed belief that valuable offers on developing international cooperation that would contribute to solution of the issues on refugees would be presented within the framework of the conference.
The Turkmen leader’s address was greeted with a storm of applause.
Then the floor was given to Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. Underlining that over 17 million of refugees and displaced persons live in the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the guest focused on the importance of further collaboration to address the existing problems.
Then, Mr. Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees underlined the historical significance of the Ashgabat conference. 57 OIC member states received 50 % of the refugees under UNHCR's mandate, 17.6 million of persons including refugees and stateless persons in 2011. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, today, the OIC member states carry out an active work to address the problems of displaced persons in various regions of the world.
Upon completion of the solemn ceremony the President of Turkmenistan wished the forum participants successful fruitful work and left the venue.
The first plenary sitting “Refugees in the Muslim World: analysis of the situation of the present period” took place at the conference hall of the Sergi köşgi Exhibition Center.
On behalf of the President of Turkmenistan a dinner was given for participants of the International Conference at the Mizan Business Center.
Within the framework of the second day of the conference it is planned to hold the plenary sittings on improvement of work to protect refugees and the presentation of the book by Doctor Ahmed Abu Al-Vafa dedicated to the asylum in Islam and the international law on refugees. It is also planned to hold a special section dedicated to the work carried out by Turkmenistan on stateless persons.
The Ashgabat Declaration will be adopted on the outcomes of the International conference.