CAIEF briefing in Turkmenistan

ASHGABAT. On May 10 the Central Asian International Environmental Forum briefing was held within the framework of the consultative meeting of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and international development partners. The forum will be held from 5 to 8 June in Tashkent and will be one of the largest events in Central Asia of this year in the field of environmental protection. The forum is organized by the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Ecology and Environmental Protection and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia. 

More than 40 people took part in the briefing, among them are the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan Mr Akmaljon Kuchkarov, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Turkmenistan Mr Mirwais Nab, the Ambassador of Tajikistan to Turkmenistan Mr Farrukh Sharifzoda, the Chargé d'affaires of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Turkmenistan, Mr Eckbergan Bekturganov, as well as representatives of international development partners and the Executive Committee of IFAS. In addition, the event was attended by representatives of relevant ministries and departments of Turkmenistan, public associations, regional organizations and the private sector of the country.

The Central Asian International Environmental Forum, which was held for the first time in 2017 in Ashgabat, and this year will be held in Tashkent, is a platform that will unite the countries of the region to work out joint solutions to the environmental challenges of the region.

The briefing was continued by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan, Mr Akmaljon Kuchkarov, who stressed that Uzbekistan supports the efforts of CAREC aimed at creating dialogue platforms for discussion and search for solutions to environmental problems. In particular, the initiative of the second Central Asian International Environmental Forum in Tashkent was approved by the Government of Uzbekistan.

It is also worth noting that an international conference "Joint actions to mitigate the consequences of the Aral catastrophe: new approaches, innovative solutions, investments" will be held within the framework of the Central Asian International Environmental Forum 2018. In addition to the sessions and discussions, a tour of the Aral Sea will also be held during the conference.

The information voiced at the event was received with great interest and aroused lively discussion among the participants. Representatives of relevant ministries and departments of Turkmenistan, public associations and regional organizations agreed that the CAIEF 2018 can become a confident step forward towards strengthening environmental cooperation in Central Asia.