On Wednesday, Ashgabat hosted a regional conference focused on eradicating statelessness in Central Asia, where representatives from the region discussed collaborative efforts. The event took place at the "Ýyldyz" hotel and included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan, along with delegates from Central Asian countries, international experts, and media representatives.
Amanmuhammet Sazakov, head of the State Migration Service, opened the conference and emphasized Turkmenistan's commitment to fully eradicating statelessness. He highlighted the country’s active support for the UN campaign I Belong (#IBELONG) and mentioned previous initiatives presented at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees session in Geneva aimed at protecting the rights of stateless individuals.
Participants discussed Turkmenistan's National Action Plan for the Elimination of Statelessness for 2019-2024 and focused on efforts under the leadership Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to promote international peace initiatives.
Representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and human rights organizations in Central Asia exchanged insights on protecting stateless individuals and assisting victims of gender-based violence. They also addressed progress in the #IBELONG campaign, which aims to recognize citizenship by place of birth, and the importance of the Global Alliance for the Eradication of Statelessness.
The conference concluded with participants signing documents designed to enhance coordination efforts in Central Asia to protect the rights of stateless individuals and improve procedures for determining their legal status.
On September 25, 2024, Ashgabat held a ceremony to grant passports to new citizens of Turkmenistan. A total of 1,146 individuals from 29 nationalities became citizens, while President Serdar Berdimuhamedov issued residence permits to 134 individuals from six countries, representing 15 nationalities.
