Security Council Press Statement on United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Cristián Barros Melet (Chile):
The members of the Security Council welcomed the briefing on 21 January 2015 by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), Miroslav Jenča, on the work of UNRCCA over the past seven months.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the importance of conflict prevention tools in contributing effectively to the maintenance of international peace and security, including through early-warning mechanisms and engaging in preventive diplomacy, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. In this context, they acknowledged the role of UNRCCA in assisting the Central Asian States to address regional challenges by encouraging and facilitating closer cooperation, identifying and tackling potential sources of tension before possible escalation, responding to domestic and transnational threats to peace and by supporting the sustainable development of the region.
The members of the Security Council commended the ongoing efforts of UNRCCA to assist the Central Asian States in modernizing the legal framework for regional transboundary water management and encouraged all Central Asian States to play a full and active role in this process. They further encouraged the Centre to continue to facilitate regional dialogue and encouraged all States in the region to engage constructively in consultations to reach agreement on how to meet energy and water resource challenges across the region.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the Centre’s engagement on border management issues and its preparedness to assist Central Asians States reduce the potential for violence in border areas.
The members of the Security Council expressed their support for UNRCCA's role in regional counter-terrorism activities, including through its support for the implementation of the Joint Plan of Action on implementing the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia. They commended the Centre's recent efforts aimed at engaging the media in the fight against terrorism, raising awareness, capacity-building and promoting information sharing.
The members of the Security Council underlined that illicit drug production, trade and trafficking continued to pose a threat to international peace and stability in the region. In this regard they emphasized the importance of close coordination between the Central Asian States and Afghanistan in combating drug trafficking. They commended UNRCCA's efforts, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and relevant regional organizations, to help the Central Asian States address this problem.
The members of the Security Council also commended the role of UNRCCA, in collaboration with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, in facilitating the bilateral and multilateral engagement of the Central Asian States with Afghanistan and encouraged enhanced cooperation and coordination between them. The members of the Security Council noted that the post-2014 scenario in Afghanistan and the drawdown of ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] troops generated security concerns in Central Asia, but that to date the situation in Afghanistan had not led to any major security implications in Central Asia.
The members of the Security Council encouraged increased cooperation and coordination between the Central Asian States, UNRCCA and relevant regional organizations, to strengthen the region's capacity to overcome challenges to peace, stability and sustainable development.