Tashkent – 8 July 2025 – the Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia, Batyr Mammedov, discussed further cooperation and institutional sustainability of the CAREC office in Uzbekistan with the Deputy Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Iskandar Kutbiddinov.
The meeting was also attended by Erkin Mukhitdinov, Director of the Forestry Agency, and the RESILAND Project Manager.
As noted, the discussion was held in a spirit of constructive dialogue and mutual understanding, reaffirming the strong partnership between CAREC and the Ministry.
At the beginning of the meeting, Iskandar Kutbiddinov congratulated Batyr Mammedov on his appointment as CAREC’s Executive Director and expressed confidence that under his leadership, CAREC will continue to play a key role in addressing environmental challenges across Central Asia.
The main topic of discussion was cooperation under the "Resilient Landscapes Restoration in Uzbekistan" (RESILAND) project, particularly Subcomponent 1.3, which focuses on strengthening regional cooperation. The parties discussed the project's objectives and goals in detail, as well as strategic directions for future collaboration. This subcomponent is implemented with financial support from the International Development Association (IDA) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Landscapes (PROGREEN), with a total budget of USD 2 million. Within this framework, CAREC supports Uzbekistan in advancing transboundary cooperation on landscape restoration and climate adaptation.
The meeting also touched upon the current status of CAREC’s country office in Uzbekistan. The Deputy Minister noted that the Memorandum of Understanding between CAREC and the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers (TIIAME) has expired. In support of CAREC’s continued presence, the Ministry of Ecology sent two official letters to the rector of TIIAME advocating for the organization. These letters reflect the Ministry’s interest in maintaining CAREC’s institutional presence within the academic environment and recognizing its valuable work in Uzbekistan.
Particular attention was given to strengthening the institutional capacity of CAREC’s country office. Iskandar Kutbiddinov emphasized the importance of expanding the office’s staff structure, elevating its organizational status, and broadening its project portfolio, which, in his view, would enable more effective implementation of regional initiatives and ensure stable project delivery in Uzbekistan. He also proposed that the Regional Office of CAREC consider additional support for the country office, and expressed hope for increased financial allocations in light of the growing interest of international partners in Uzbekistan’s environmental agenda.
In addition, Ministry representatives presented several new initiatives that could be implemented within the framework of the RESILAND project. They also confirmed the Ministry’s readiness to sign a contract with CAREC upon receiving the final version. At the end of the meeting, both parties expressed appreciation for the constructive and substantive exchange. They agreed to hold a follow-up meeting on July 10 to officially sign the contract.
Contact information:
Nodirbek Rahimjonov – CAREC Country Director in Uzbekistan, uzbekistan@carececo.org