This year, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Centre was established at the initiative of five Central Asian States by exchange of letters between the UN Secretary General and the President of the Security Council in May 2007. UNRCCA has become the first political mission of the United Nations Organization that focuses on the preventive diplomacy. A Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Asia, the Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) Petko Draganov gave an interview on this occasion.
“The main goal of the Centre is to prevent potentially conflict-related regional problems. We do our work in accordance with the mandate and three-year programmes coordinated with the Central Asia states. For the period of 2015-2017, our priorities include transnational threats and challenges; natural resources management; internal factors affecting regional stability and creation of a national / regional potential to prevent conflicts.
“Compared to other UN missions, our centre is smaller in scale, with a minimal budget and limited staff. The main part of our mission’s activities is funded by extra budgetary sources. At the same time, the geographical area of responsibility covered by UNRCCA is broad; it includes five states. Therefore, compared to most missions, which as a rule cover a single country, all our efforts must be multiplied at least by five. In light of this, the Centre is one of the most effective agencies of the UN in terms of resources/results ratio.
“Over the past 10 years, there were no major inter-state conflicts in Central Asia. This, of course, is the merit of the states themselves, but there is also a part of our efforts. The Centre provided the governments with a platform to dialogue on the most difficult regional issues: trans-boundary water management, countering security threats, strengthening of stability, development of regional cooperation. The Centre provided good services to prevent and promptly respond to emerging problems that threaten the internal stability of individual countries and the entire region.
“We have accumulated considerable analytical potential. We provide information support to the UN governing structures with the aim of making and implementing effective and timely decisions. Twice a year I address the Security Council with reports on the work done and analysis of the regional situation. The proposals that we coordinate with the countries are brought to the attention of the Security Council and receive international response. The Centre initiated several visits of the UN Secretary-General to all five Central Asian states. In the near future, the newly elected Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also visit Central Asia. This is the evidence of the great attention paid by the leadership of the United Nations to the region and of willingness to assist in addressing the existing issues.
“Over the years, we have organised dozens of international workshops and round tables on topical issues of regional security and have trained more than 1,000 specialists in various fields of preventive diplomacy. There were hundreds of rounds of talks aimed at contributing to overcome differences and establishing rapprochement.
“The signing of a number of documents regulating collaboration with our partners in the region and outlining strategies for future action can be considered as concrete results of our work. I would like to especially note the Joint Plan for the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, approved by high representatives of Central Asian countries in Ashgabat in November 2011. The plan pays considerable attention to the humanitarian aspects of preventive diplomacy, noting the need for an integrated approach addressing the problems of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation of the population in order to eliminate the root causes of these threats, while respecting basic human rights and freedoms of the individual. This was the first practice in the world of adapting the global counter-terrorism strategy to a specific region. It served as an example for countries in other parts of the world. In the course of the implementation of the plan, considerable experience has been accumulated, which we plan to discuss at a ministerial conference in Ashgabat on June 13 this year.
“Another specific example of UN preventive diplomacy were the events in Kyrgyzstan that occurred in 2010. UNRCCA monitored the political situation in the country. The transition period completed peacefully by the formation of a legitimate government, as a result of free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections.
“In 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was signed at the UNRCCA headquarters in Ashgabat with the aim to develop a mechanism for monitoring and preventing threats to the environment in the Aral Sea Basin. Based on this document, the Centre cooperates with the EC IFAS in terms of information exchange, enhancing the potential of its employees, assistance in mobilizing international support in the implementation of Programmes in the Aral Sea Basin (ASBP) and a number of other issues. Currently UNRCCA is in contact with the management of the EC IFAS in Turkmenistan on the development of a regional water strategy. The Centre also collaborates with UNESCO on the problems of melting high-altitude glaciers and its impact on national and trans-boundary water systems.
“Cooperating with the Scientific-information centre of Interstate coordination water Commission (SIC ICWC), the Centre develops an early warning mechanism for potentially problematic situations on Trans-boundary Rivers. We are currently preparing and distributing early warning quarterly Bulletins based on the agreed set of indicators.
“For several years now, we have been working with the Central Asian states to create a legal mechanism for an integrated solution of the region’s water and energy problems. As a result, in March 2017, the Centre submitted the renewed proposal on the development of agreements on the use of water resources in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins to the governments for consideration. On the outcomes of the first round of talks in the capitals of the Central Asian states, it was confirmed the readiness of most of them to negotiate on this issue.
“Many security threats in Central Asian countries have an external origin. In this regard, we monitor the situation Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, from the outlook of their influence on the region.
“Concerning Afghanistan, my staff and I regularly visit the country to hold meetings with the government representatives and other partners. The Centre maintains close contacts with the UN Mission to assist Afghanistan (UNAMA) to ensure a comprehensive analysis of the situation in the region. A few dozen Afghan civil servants attended our courses on the capacity building in various fields of preventive diplomacy. This is our contribution to strengthening trust between the Central Asian states and Afghanistan. Our goal is not only to help to warn on the potential cross-border risks, but also to pay attention to the opportunities for cooperation. In this regard, I am pleased to note that cooperation between the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan, aimed at the further involvement of the latter in regional cooperation mechanisms significantly widens. The construction of the gas Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, the Central Asia – South Asia (CASA-1000) transmission line, railways and roads will contribute not only to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan, but also to enhance the social and economic potential of the countries in the region.
“The effectiveness of the UNRCCA work is determined by the political will of governments to cooperate with each other and seek solutions to common problems. The Centre applies every effort to respond to the challenges and threats of the regional security and stability.
“We can rightfully state that within 10 years, all necessary conditions for the successful implementation of preventive diplomacy in the region have been created. UNRCCA will continue its multiaspect constructive work under the motto “To promote dialogue – to prevent conflicts.”
“The main goal of the Centre is to prevent potentially conflict-related regional problems. We do our work in accordance with the mandate and three-year programmes coordinated with the Central Asia states. For the period of 2015-2017, our priorities include transnational threats and challenges; natural resources management; internal factors affecting regional stability and creation of a national / regional potential to prevent conflicts.
“Compared to other UN missions, our centre is smaller in scale, with a minimal budget and limited staff. The main part of our mission’s activities is funded by extra budgetary sources. At the same time, the geographical area of responsibility covered by UNRCCA is broad; it includes five states. Therefore, compared to most missions, which as a rule cover a single country, all our efforts must be multiplied at least by five. In light of this, the Centre is one of the most effective agencies of the UN in terms of resources/results ratio.
“Over the past 10 years, there were no major inter-state conflicts in Central Asia. This, of course, is the merit of the states themselves, but there is also a part of our efforts. The Centre provided the governments with a platform to dialogue on the most difficult regional issues: trans-boundary water management, countering security threats, strengthening of stability, development of regional cooperation. The Centre provided good services to prevent and promptly respond to emerging problems that threaten the internal stability of individual countries and the entire region.
“We have accumulated considerable analytical potential. We provide information support to the UN governing structures with the aim of making and implementing effective and timely decisions. Twice a year I address the Security Council with reports on the work done and analysis of the regional situation. The proposals that we coordinate with the countries are brought to the attention of the Security Council and receive international response. The Centre initiated several visits of the UN Secretary-General to all five Central Asian states. In the near future, the newly elected Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also visit Central Asia. This is the evidence of the great attention paid by the leadership of the United Nations to the region and of willingness to assist in addressing the existing issues.
“Over the years, we have organised dozens of international workshops and round tables on topical issues of regional security and have trained more than 1,000 specialists in various fields of preventive diplomacy. There were hundreds of rounds of talks aimed at contributing to overcome differences and establishing rapprochement.
“The signing of a number of documents regulating collaboration with our partners in the region and outlining strategies for future action can be considered as concrete results of our work. I would like to especially note the Joint Plan for the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, approved by high representatives of Central Asian countries in Ashgabat in November 2011. The plan pays considerable attention to the humanitarian aspects of preventive diplomacy, noting the need for an integrated approach addressing the problems of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalisation of the population in order to eliminate the root causes of these threats, while respecting basic human rights and freedoms of the individual. This was the first practice in the world of adapting the global counter-terrorism strategy to a specific region. It served as an example for countries in other parts of the world. In the course of the implementation of the plan, considerable experience has been accumulated, which we plan to discuss at a ministerial conference in Ashgabat on June 13 this year.
“Another specific example of UN preventive diplomacy were the events in Kyrgyzstan that occurred in 2010. UNRCCA monitored the political situation in the country. The transition period completed peacefully by the formation of a legitimate government, as a result of free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections.
“In 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was signed at the UNRCCA headquarters in Ashgabat with the aim to develop a mechanism for monitoring and preventing threats to the environment in the Aral Sea Basin. Based on this document, the Centre cooperates with the EC IFAS in terms of information exchange, enhancing the potential of its employees, assistance in mobilizing international support in the implementation of Programmes in the Aral Sea Basin (ASBP) and a number of other issues. Currently UNRCCA is in contact with the management of the EC IFAS in Turkmenistan on the development of a regional water strategy. The Centre also collaborates with UNESCO on the problems of melting high-altitude glaciers and its impact on national and trans-boundary water systems.
“Cooperating with the Scientific-information centre of Interstate coordination water Commission (SIC ICWC), the Centre develops an early warning mechanism for potentially problematic situations on Trans-boundary Rivers. We are currently preparing and distributing early warning quarterly Bulletins based on the agreed set of indicators.
“For several years now, we have been working with the Central Asian states to create a legal mechanism for an integrated solution of the region’s water and energy problems. As a result, in March 2017, the Centre submitted the renewed proposal on the development of agreements on the use of water resources in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins to the governments for consideration. On the outcomes of the first round of talks in the capitals of the Central Asian states, it was confirmed the readiness of most of them to negotiate on this issue.
“Many security threats in Central Asian countries have an external origin. In this regard, we monitor the situation Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, from the outlook of their influence on the region.
“Concerning Afghanistan, my staff and I regularly visit the country to hold meetings with the government representatives and other partners. The Centre maintains close contacts with the UN Mission to assist Afghanistan (UNAMA) to ensure a comprehensive analysis of the situation in the region. A few dozen Afghan civil servants attended our courses on the capacity building in various fields of preventive diplomacy. This is our contribution to strengthening trust between the Central Asian states and Afghanistan. Our goal is not only to help to warn on the potential cross-border risks, but also to pay attention to the opportunities for cooperation. In this regard, I am pleased to note that cooperation between the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan, aimed at the further involvement of the latter in regional cooperation mechanisms significantly widens. The construction of the gas Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, the Central Asia – South Asia (CASA-1000) transmission line, railways and roads will contribute not only to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan, but also to enhance the social and economic potential of the countries in the region.
“The effectiveness of the UNRCCA work is determined by the political will of governments to cooperate with each other and seek solutions to common problems. The Centre applies every effort to respond to the challenges and threats of the regional security and stability.
“We can rightfully state that within 10 years, all necessary conditions for the successful implementation of preventive diplomacy in the region have been created. UNRCCA will continue its multiaspect constructive work under the motto “To promote dialogue – to prevent conflicts.”
