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We, the participants of the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust, 2025, the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th Anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, gathered in Ashgabat on 12 December 2025 at the invitation of the Government of Turkmenistan, in cooperation with the United Nations, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 78/266 of 21 March 2024, which proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, and in the spirit of strengthening multilateral dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation among States in the interest of peace, security, and sustainable development,
Reaffirming our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including the sovereign equality of States, respect for territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, which remain the key principles and solid foundation of the international order,
Reaffirming also our unwavering commitment to strengthening multilateralism, founded on the universal respect for international law, and further recognizing the central role of the United Nations for fostering a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world, and for effectively addressing global challenges through inclusive dialogue and collective action,
Recalling the United Nations General Assembly resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in which it adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets,
Recalling also the relevant provisions of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, the Pact for the Future and the New Agenda for Peace,
Recalling further the United Nations General Assembly resolutions 50/80 A of 12 December 1995, 69/285 of 3 June 2015, and 79/274 of 21 March 2025 on the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, and reiterating strong support for the status of permanent neutrality declared and steadfastly upheld by Turkmenistan, which has become an important factor in promoting peace, stability, and cooperation at the regional and global levels,
Referring to the United Nations General Assembly resolutions 71/275 of 2 February 2017 on the proclamation of the International Day of Neutrality and 75/28 of 7 December 2020 on the role and importance of a policy of neutrality in maintaining and strengthening international peace, security and sustainable development,
Recalling the Ashgabat Outcome Documents of 2015 and 2020, and acknowledging the efforts of the Government of Turkmenistan to institutionalize dialogue on neutrality, preventive diplomacy, and peace, in line with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations,
Welcoming the results of the High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on regional zones of peace convened by the President of the General Assembly on 7 July 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York pursuant to the United Nations General Assembly resolution 79/5 of 24 October 2024, and the ongoing efforts to strengthen the Zone of Peace, Trust and Cooperation of Central Asia, as a regional embodiment of neutrality-based peace and preventive diplomacy,
Welcoming also the establishment and continued work of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development, an informal group established at the initiative of Turkmenistan in August 2020 and operating on the basis of the final declaration of the first ministerial meeting of the Group[6] to maintain a wide multilateral dialogue on the practical implementation of the principles of neutrality in preventing conflicts, eliminating the root causes and consequences of conflicts, resolving humanitarian challenges and promoting neutrality in international relations,
Recognizing the growing interdependence between peace, security and sustainable development, and underlining that trust, mutual respect, mutual understanding, and neutrality are vital elements of international order,
Recalling that 2025 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, which has become an example of constructive and peaceful foreign policy, fostering trust and cooperation among nations,
I. Building Peace, Trust, and Dialogue
Affirm that peace, trust, and dialogue remain the essential pillars of international relations and the foundation of a just, inclusive, and secure world order, recognizing that these principles form the moral and political basis of cooperation among nations and peoples and that without trust and dialogue, there can be no sustainable peace, security, and development;
Emphasize that in an increasingly complex and interdependent world, the culture of peace and trust must be nurtured through continuous political will, open communication, and genuine multilateral dialogue, as reflected in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and in this regard welcoming the activities of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations;
Recall in this regard General Assembly resolution 78/266 of 21 March 2024, by which the Assembly decided to observe the International Years of Peace and Trust every five years to maintain permanent attention to the ideals of peace and trust, and welcome the designation of 2030 as the next International Year of Peace and Trust, to continue consolidating efforts in preventing conflicts, promoting dialogue, and strengthening mutual understanding among nations;
Welcome the General Assembly resolution on declaring 16 May as the International Day of Living Together in Peace, which aimed at mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity, and to express its attachment to the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity,
Encourage all Member States, United Nations entities, regional and subregional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals to continue actively contributing to the observance of the International Years of Peace and Trust by organizing educational, cultural, and policy initiatives that reinforce mutual respect, tolerance, cooperation among peoples, and promote the atmosphere of trust and mutual understanding in all areas of international cooperation;
Recognize that national policies of neutrality, consistently pursued by a number of States, serve as an important instrument for preventing conflicts, fostering trust-based and mutually respectful relations, and creating an enabling environment for strengthening stability and promoting constructive dialogue at the regional and global level;
Recognize also the leadership of Turkmenistan, which, through the policy of permanent neutrality, has consistently advanced a system-based approach to international relations grounded in dialogue, peace, and trust, initiating and implementing global campaigns within the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, 2023, and the International Years of Peace and Trust, which serve as a practical model for confidence-building measures;
Acknowledge that this multidimensional approach, rooted in the policy of neutrality and guided by the principle of equal and indivisible security, promotes not only political stability but also social, economic, environmental, and humanitarian resilience, thereby strengthening the global culture of peace;
II. Strengthening Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation
Underscore the importance of preventive diplomacy as one of the key instruments for conflict prevention and the maintenance of international peace, to be used strictly in line with the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,
Recall the unanimous adoption by the United Nations Security Council of resolution 2788, urging effective utilization of mechanisms for pacific settlement of disputes as outlined in Article 33 of the United Nations Charter, including mediation;
Encourage the effective use of the territories of neutral countries for hosting peace talks and conflict resolution and settlement processes, including through the establishment of dedicated mediation facilities, and note with appreciation the proposal of Turkmenistan to set up on its territory the Peace Mediation Chamber under the auspices of the United Nations, which would require evaluation by Member States and the United Nations system, as underlined in the United Nations General Assembly resolution 79/274 of 21 March 2025;
Welcome the request to the United Nations Secretary General by the General Assembly to develop, within existing resources, in consultation with the United Nations Member States and other relevant actors, Guidance for Upholding and Implementing the Principles of Neutrality for Peace and Security, with a specific focus on consolidating lessons learned and key principles for the effective application of neutrality in international relations;
Underline the vital role of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, headquartered in Ashgabat, in accordance with its mandate, in fostering dialogue, and cooperation for peace and stability in the region and beyond, and encourage the establishment and strengthening of similar mechanisms in other regions;
Note the experience of the United Nations in peacekeeping, based on the extensive use of political and diplomatic means and methods of preventive diplomacy, and with a view to developing the practical nature of neutrality, carrying out research and educational activities in this regard, and taking into account the United Nations General Assembly resolution “University of Peace”, welcome the proposal of Turkmenistan to establish, in cooperation with the United Nations, a University of Peace and Neutrality;
III. Promoting a Neutrality-Based Concept of Global Security
Welcome the activities of Turkmenistan in developing a Neutrality-Based Concept of Global Security, aimed at forming a contemporary understanding of collective peace anchored in trust, respect for sovereignty, neutrality, and non-interference, designed to complement the evolving global security architecture with practical mechanisms that bridge differences and prioritize peaceful coexistence over confrontation;
Invite the United Nations Member States, the Non-Aligned Movement, and other regional and international organizations to welcome ongoing efforts to elaborate and promote the Neutrality-Based Concept of Global Security, under the auspices of the United Nations, as a basis for consensus-building and strengthening multilateral cooperation, guided by the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
Recognize that neutrality, in its permanent and active form, embodies not indifference but responsibility – a principled commitment to prevent conflicts through impartiality, good offices, mediation, and confidence-building, while maintaining constructive engagement with all parties in the interest of international peace and security;
IV. Synergies between Peace, Trust, and Sustainable Development
Reaffirm that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security; and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development, as underscored in the 2030 Agenda;
Emphasize that neutrality has a profound humanitarian dimension, grounded in the universal humanitarian principles, including principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, underlining that neutral States could play a positive role in facilitating humanitarian assistance in conflict situations, emergencies and natural disasters,
Encourage initiatives that promote the equal participation and full involvement of women and the meaningful participation of youth in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security,
Welcome the initiatives to proclaim the International Day of Multilingual Diplomacy and the International Day of Mediation as tools and frameworks for strengthening peace and understanding among peoples;
Recognize the potential of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to foster peace, dialogue, and sustainable development, while strongly stressing the need to ensure their ethical use in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
V. Sustaining Cooperation for the Future
Welcome the initiative of Turkmenistan to explore the development of a Global Code of International Trust as a complementary instrument to advance equality, mutual respect, trust, and shared responsibility, grounded in the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
Reaffirm the importance of regularly convening international and regional forums devoted to neutrality, peace, and trust, in line with the commitments of the 2015 and 2020 Ashgabat Outcome Documents;
Call upon the United Nations Member States to strengthen multilateral cooperation mechanisms as a foundation for global peace, and express our support for Turkmenistan’s proposal to proclaim 2028 as the Year of International Law, which would represent the collective efforts toward reinforcing the universality and primacy of the norms and principles of international law enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
Express deep appreciation to the People and Government of Turkmenistan for hosting the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust (2025), the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th Anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, and for their steadfast contribution to strengthening global peace, stability, and cooperation through the consistent implementation of the principles of Permanent Neutrality;
Affirm our readiness to continue engaging within the United Nations, regional organizations, and bilateral frameworks to ensure the practical implementation of the ideas and proposals generated during the Forum;
Call upon all Member States, United Nations bodies, and relevant partners to continue fostering a spirit of dialogue, trust, and partnership, thereby ensuring that peace and trust remain the lasting legacy of the United Nations and the defining priorities of international cooperation in the twenty-first century.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 12 December 2025
