Statement by the UNRC in the Kyrgyz Republic, Ms. Antje Grawe (Delivered on behalf of UNSG, Mr. Antonio Guterres) International Issyk-Kul Forum, "The World at a Civilizational Turning Point: Together into the Future"

(Your Excellency State Secretary Koichiev),
Distinguished guests, 

It is an honor to speak on behalf of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the 40th anniversary of the Issyk-Kul Forum. He sends his warmest greetings and deep appreciation to the Government and people of Kyrgyzstan for this remarkable gathering, and regrets that he cannot attend in person. 

We meet at a moment when multilateralism is under real pressure, with growing geopolitical tensions, unresolved conflicts, and increasing questions about whether the principles of the Charter and international law are being upheld consistently. At a time when trust is fragmenting both within and between societies, the questions that Chyngyz Aitmatov posed about humanity's shared future some 40 years ago feel remarkably contemporary. 

The Secretary-General has been clear that the answer is not to abandon the UN Charter and international law, but to make them work better, and to give more countries a genuine stake in how the system functions. 

When UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future in 2024, they made a commitment to renew international cooperation for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. Its success will depend not only on major powers, but also on countries willing to build bridges, champion dialogue, and defend the principles of the Charter. 

Kyrgyzstan's election on 3 June as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2027-2028 term demonstrates the value that Member States increasingly place on such voices. The Secretary-General offers his sincere congratulations. 

Kyrgyzstan campaigned on a platform centered on the Charter, on preventive diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution, and on stronger representation for small and landlocked states. Its election reflects the growing weight of Kyrgyzstan's voice on questions of peace, international law, and international cooperation.

That credibility was earned through Kyrgyzstan's own record of resolving conflict peacefully. Two years ago, when the Secretary-General met President Japarov at this lake, he described the unresolved Kyrgyz-Tajik border as a puzzle of extraordinary complexity. That puzzle has since been resolved through the leadership of the countries concerned and their commitment to dialogue, culminating in a landmark agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

That experience has also found expression in Kyrgyzstan’s multilateral engagement. 

This spring, Kyrgyzstan and her neighbors brought to the United Nations General Assembly the resolution “Peaceful Settlement of Border Disputes”, adopted by consensus. It is peacebuilding from within, achieved through patience, political courage, dialogue and respect for international law.  

That experience connects to a broader UN effort underway. Next week, the United Nations will hold its first-ever Peacebuilding Week worldwide, marking twenty years since the establishment of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund. 

In Bishkek, the  occasion will commemorated through an exhibition  showcasing the impact of peacebuilding efforts in Kyrgyzstan through the stories of the communities they have supported. 

Since 2010, Kyrgyzstan has partnered with the Peacebuilding Fund to strengthen conflict prevention, social cohesion and trust across communities. In 2025, it also engaged with the Peacebuilding Commission on the border conflict resolution. Together, these efforts reflect an approach that is also at the heart of Kyrgyzstan's Security Council campaign: prevention before crisis, and peace built from the ground up. 

Kyrgyzstan has carried that same voice into other multilateral forums. It has served three terms on the Human Rights Council, most recently through 2025, and recently completed its fourth Universal Periodic Review. 

On climate, Kyrgyzstan has emerged as a leading international advocate for mountain regions, helping ensure that the vulnerabilities of mountain ecosystems  are increasingly recognized as a global concern.

The case is compelling locally: temperatures here are rising at twice the global average, glaciers are retreating rapidly,  and climate-related emergencies have tripled since 2020. 

When the Secretary-General visited Cholpon-Ata in July 2024, he saw this firsthand at the mudflow canal built to protect communities from glacial lake outburst floods. The United Nations looks forward to Kyrgyzstan’s continued active voice on this agenda at COP31 in Antalya this November. 

Dear participants, 

Chyngyz Aitmatov warned that humanity cannot survive without learning to live together in peace. Forty years after the Forum’s founding, that warning remains as relevant as ever. 

From conflict prevention and peacebuilding to climate action, sustainable development and multilateral diplomacy, Kyrgyzstan’s growing engagement on regional and international platforms demonstrates how constructive partnership can help advance solutions to shared challenges. 

The Secretary-General looks forward to continuing this partnership. He has gladly accepted President Japarov’s invitation to return to Bishkek later in August for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and welcomes the opportunity to continue discussions on advancing peace, sustainable development and regional cooperation. 

On behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres and the entire United Nations family, I wish this Forum every success. May it contribute to the spirit of understanding, responsibility and common purpose that Chyngyz Aitmatov envisioned when he first brought people together on these shores. Because at this particular civilizational turning point, the world needs more spaces for dialogue, not fewer; more cooperation, not less; and a renewed confidence that shared challenges can only be solved through shared action. 

Thank you.