Supporting practical OSCE action in Turkmenistan: UK statement to the OSCE
UK Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Ambassador James Ford reaffirms the UK's strong support for the OSCE field presence in Ashgabat and its practical work across all three dimensions of security. We welcome progress on border management, resilient energy infrastructure, judicial reform, media literacy and Women, Peace and Security.
Thank you, Chair. I warmly welcome Ambassador Leaf to the Permanent Council and thank him and his team for their report.
The United Kingdom strongly supports the Centre’s practical, demand-led work across all three OSCE dimensions of security. We particularly welcome its work on strengthening border management; on building resilient energy infrastructure; and on supporting judicial reform and media literacy. We also particularly commend the Centre’s support for the development of Turkmenistan’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
These activities demonstrate the value of a sustained OSCE field presence, working with national authorities and civil society to translate commitments into practical results.
We also welcome the report’s reference to the bilateral co-operation programme agreed between the United Kingdom and Turkmenistan and look forward to building on that partnership.
We remain a strong supporter of the Centre’s mandate. As with all field missions we encourage continued focus on delivering on-the-ground impact, closely aligned with OSCE commitments. In doing so, we encourage continued coordination with other international organisations present in Turkmenistan, to avoid duplication and ensure the OSCE’s comparative advantage is used to greatest effect – particularly of course in the currently constrained resource environment.
Thank you.