‘UN must fulfil obligations for resolution of longstanding issues’

Islamabad:The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organised a seminar titled “International Year of Peace and Trust: Cooperation for Peace,” in collaboration with the Embassy of Turkmenistan and the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Pakistan.

The event included speeches by Atadjan Movlamov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan; Mr. Mohamed Yahya, UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan; and Ambassador Syed Haider Shah, Additional Secretary (UN and OIC) Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The working session featured talks by Ambassador Masood Khalid, former Ambassador of Pakistan to China; Ms. Ammara Durrani, Assistant Resident Representative UNDP; and Dr. Maria Saifuddin Effendi, HOD Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, NDU.

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood congratulated Turkmenistan on playing a leadership role globally in steering the process of advancing the objectives enshrined in UNGA Resolution 78/266 declaring 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust.

He emphasized that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but rather is a dynamic and participatory process which requires dialogue, mutual understanding, and the ability to accept and respect differences. Ambassador Mahmood noted that the resolution’s emphasis on preventive diplomacy, peaceful settlement of disputes, and peace as a lived experience is pertinent to the contemporary international environment, which is beset by divisions, discord and conflict. He highlighted the genocidal war in the Middle East, conflict in Europe, and the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and stated that the UN and international community must fulfil their obligations towards ensuring just and lasting solutions of these issues.

Ambassador Sohail Mahmood added that the International Year of Peace and Trust also serves as a moment of reflection on the contributions of various actors to the global peace agenda including women, youth, regional organisations, civil society, academia and the private sector. He also emphasised Pakistan’s role in promoting international peace and security, noting that the country has a proud history of contributing to global peace efforts from UN peacekeeping to advocating peaceful resolution of disputes. These efforts are rooted in the belief that dialogue and diplomacy are the most effective means of addressing conflicts and building sustainable peace. As an elected member of the security council for the term 2025-26, Pakistan would remain in the vanguard of the efforts for promoting these objectives, he underlined.

Ambassador Atadjan Movlamov noted that we are witnessing a complexity in global politics. In this backdrop, Turkmenistan advocated to consolidate international efforts for purposes of peace and trust by introducing a General Assembly resolution on “International Year of Peace and Trust 2025.” The resolution projected fundamental principles and commitments of the UN charter, particularly peaceful settlement of disputes.

Turkmenistan also adopted a special program called “The Concept of Activities and Priorities of Turkmenistan within the Framework of International Year of Peace and Trust 2025.” Turkmenistan sees the implementation of the resolution as a global-scale event and a genuine opportunity for the qualitative transition of a new stage in international relations.