Turkmenistan announces its position on overcoming challenges under the pandemic at the online meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia

On May 8, the Boao Forum for Asia held online conference “Launch of the BFA 2020 Flagship Report & Symposium on Asian Development Prospects and Challenges under the Pandemic”.

The videoconference brought together former vice-premiers of the PRC and Singapore, ambassadors of foreign countries, representatives of the UN and its agencies accredited in China, top managers of international financial and economic institutions (IMF, ASEAN + 3, etc.) and banking structures, as well as international experts in the world economy, representatives of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Bureau of Macroeconomic Research, the Institute of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation and others, in total - more than 200 people.

Addressing the participants of the online meeting, Secretary General of Boao Forum for Asia, Mr. Li Baodong noted that in 2020 the world faced unprecedented challenges comparable to the consequences of the Second World War. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused tremendous humanitarian and economic damage. The financial market has experienced the most significant fluctuations since the 2008 crisis.

The Forum presented reports on economic prospects and integration processes in Asia. According to experts, in 2020 the Asian economy expects zero growth, and its share in the global economy will be 50.2%.

Forum participants called for joint work to restore the global economy, remove trade barriers, stabilize supply chains and promote innovation in order to avoid the risk of a long-term recession on a global scale.

Experts noted that the negative consequences of COVID-19 provided a unique opportunity for structural reforms in the economy, a comprehensive digital transformation.

Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the People’s Republic of China, Parahat Durdiyev presented Turkmenistan’s position on the situation in the world caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The participants were familiarized with the joint action strategy outlined by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the Online Summit-level meeting of Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in Response to COVID-19.

P. Durdiyev underlined the importance of the UN General Assembly Resolution initiated by Turkmenistan, declaring the year 2021 as 'The International Year of Peace and Trust’. The participants of the video forum were invited to take part in the conference “The policy of neutrality and its importance in ensuring international peace, security and sustainable development”, which will be held in Ashgabat in December 2020.

Emphasizing the importance of the model of Turkmen neutrality in international relations, Secretary General of Boao Forum for Asia, Mr. Li Baodong expressed gratitude for the invitation to participate in the forum.