AKSOLTAN ATAEVA (Turkmenistan) said her region was in the process of being reborn as a strong and stable link in international partnerships.  Turkmenistan was focusing on that goal, and invited the United Nations to join in its efforts, including through establishing a United Nations Regional Centre there.  The major ecological problems of that region were well known, and affected the overall atmosphere.  The vision for such a centre already existed, and Turkmenistan was ready to provide the infrastructure.  She proposed that the centre be devoted to technologies for combatting climate change.

Her country would continue to provide aid to Afghanistan for economic and social infrastructure projects, as well as discounted energy and teaching for Afghan professionals in their institutions, she said.  It was important to provide support to developing and least developed countries.  Sustainable development for Turkmenistan meant achieving high technological, environmental, health care and agricultural standards.  Providing humanitarian and food aid were extremely important, but would not alone solve the problem.  She emphasized her country’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), WFP, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other entities.  There was tremendous creative potential in the United Nations, which had accumulated over decades, providing the solution to many global problems.  This proved that only by joining forces could the international community achieve the goals it had set, no matter how difficult they may be.