Security Council Press Statement on United Nations Regional Centre

 

for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia

 

The following Security Council press statement was issued on 8 August by Council President Gérard Araud (France):

The members of the Security Council welcomed the briefing by Miroslav Jenca, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, on the work of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) over the past seven months.

The members of the Council reaffirmed the importance of preventive diplomacy and early-warning mechanisms in the peaceful settlement of disputes and underlined the overriding political, humanitarian and moral imperatives, as well as the economic advantages, of preventing the outbreak, escalation or relapse of conflicts.  In this regard, they welcomed the role of the Regional Centre as an example of preventive diplomacy mechanisms available to the United Nations and acknowledged the role played by UNRCCA in assisting Central Asian countries to respond, in accordance with its mandate and through regional cooperation, to domestic and transnational threats to peace and sustainable development of the region.

In this regard the members of the Security Council commended the Centre's specific focus on the support of efforts by the Governments of the region to ensure stability and create a more conducive environment for the development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation and to search for result-oriented and sustainable solutions to transboundary challenges in Central Asia, including to water and energy resources management, the implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and for its role monitoring developments in the region.  The members of the Security Council welcomed the role of the Regional Centre in facilitating the assistance by Central Asian States to normalizing the situation in Afghanistan which affects the situation in Central Asia and fostering broader regional integration and cooperation as a tool to boost stability and sustainable development in the region.  The members of the Security Council stressed the need for further cooperation and coordination between the Governments of the region, the Regional Centre, and relevant regional organizations to strengthen the region’s capacity to overcome the challenges to peace, stability and sustainable development in Central Asia.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their support for the efforts of the Regional Centre to facilitate dialogue and assist the Governments of Central Asia on regional issues of their common concern.

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For information media • not an official record