On March 18, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myahri Bashimova met with Mahir Safarli, the Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Central Asia.

According to the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, M. Safarli handed over the letter regarding his appointment as the UNHCR Regional Representative for Central Asia to the Turkmen side. In turn, the Deputy Foreign Minister congratulated him on his appointment and wished him success in his responsible work.

As noted in the report, the parties exchanged views on the current state and future directions of cooperation between Turkmenistan and UNHCR. They also discussed important issues on the regional and international humanitarian agenda.

Particular attention was paid to issues related to the elimination of statelessness. The parties noted the significant achievements of Turkmenistan in this area, including the implementation of the National Action Plan for 2019–2024.

The parties discussed Turkmenistan's participation in UNHCR's global initiatives, including joining the Global Alliance to End Statelessness and participation in global forums on refugee issues.

During the meeting, views were exchanged on Turkmenistan's initiative to declare 2028 as the International Year of Law and the possibilities of cooperation with UNHCR in its promotion.

Within the framework of the regional agenda, the parties exchanged views on the situation in the region and emphasized the importance of preventive measures to avoid humanitarian crises.

During the meeting, organizational issues of cooperation were discussed, including the preparation of a joint action plan for the coming period.