Glasgow, UK, 11 November 2021 – The Central Asia Pavilion “5 countries – 1 region – 1 voice” hosted the Final meeting of national delegations of Central Asian countries in online and offline formats.
The event was organized by Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) in cooperation with Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of Kyrgyz Republic, Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Environmental Protection.
In the welcome speech, CAREC Executive Director Zafar Makhmudov summed up the results of the Central Asia Pavilion and thanked all partners for financial and content contributions to Central Asia Pavilion.
“I would like to express special thanks to the World Bank, OSCE Programme office in Nur-Sultan, ERG Group and the rest partners – FAO, UNDP, USAID, the British Embassy in Central Asia - and everyone who worked and continue working with us,” said Zafar Makhmudov.
CAREC Executive Director also expressed gratitude to the “International green technologies and investment projects Center” NJC in Kazakhstan for cooperation.
Reportedly, the Central Asia Pavilion at COP26 hosted 23 side events, and 13 of them were regional-level. Over 2 000 people visited the events of the CA Pavilion.
CAREC Executive Director Zafar Makhmudov highlighted two landmark events for Central Asia held in the CA Pavilion. Namely, the countries of Central Asia voiced two consolidated regional statements on climate change on behalf of the Central Asian Governments and civil society.
CAREC Executive Director Zafar Makhmudov expressed special thanks to the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) Sulton Rakhimzoda. CAREC Executive Director made special mention of cooperation with the Interstate Commission o Sustainable Development represented by Bakhtiyor Pulatov, the Director of the branch of the Research Center of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
In turn, the Chairperson of EC IFAS, Sulton Rakhimzoda, stated it is an honour for EC IFAS to support CAREC in the organization of the CA Pavilion. He emphasized the ambitious plan to unite the region under the motto “5 countries – 1 region – 1 voice” succeeded.
“Central Asia was heard through COP26,” said the Chairperson of EC IFAS, Sulton Rakhimzoda.
The Chairperson of EC IFAS noted the new projects, new ideas have emerged. “A milestone for all of us, especially for EC IFAS, is a political moment. We demonstrated to the world community that we are united, all five countries of Central Asia. This once again proves and shows the solidarity, the spirit of cooperation that exists in the Central Asian region today,” said Sulton Rakhimzoda. He stressed that the regional statements of the Central Asian countries presented at COP26 confirm this.
The Chairperson of EC IFAS, Sulton Rakhimzoda, thanked all partners for the organization of the CA Pavilion. “My congratulations to Zafar Khakimovich, CAREC and all organizations with our joint achievement,” said Sulton Rakhimzoda.
“Our ambitions are to continue our job. To transfer the spirit of Glasgow to Central Asia, to work with our governments, with regional institutions and development partners who work in our region to implement the goals and objectives of the agreements reached within Glasgow,” said Sulton Rakhimzoda. He noted the new agreements - to preserve forests, halt land degradation, and reduce methane emissions - are being prepared.
The Central Asia Pavilion is organized by CAREC in cooperation with EC IFAS and IGTIPC under financial support of the World Bank, OSCE, ERG, FAO and UNDP.
The record of the side-event is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlqebHKEIqw