On October 3, 2019, CAREC Executive Director Mr. Zafar Makhmudov held a series of meetings with national and international development partners in Kazakhstan including representatives of International Green Technologies & Investments Center, Center for the Study of China, as well as with the Director of the Climate Policy and Green Technologies Department of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During the meeting of Mr. Makhmudov with the Minister of ecology, geology and natural resources of Kazakhstan Mr. Magzum Mirzagaliev, the parties discussed CAREC’s strategic plans for 2020-2025. The Minister emphasized the importance of conducting a Summit or Round table for the Ministers of Ecology of Central Asian countries, and highlighted the transboundary water cooperation in the region as a focus area along with restoration of the forest landscape which is a natural solution providing mitigation and adaptation to climate change. It also underpins global goals such as the Bonn Challenge as a means of implementing the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
In the framework of the meeting of the CAREC Executive Director with the Director of the Climate Policy and Green Technologies Department of the Ministry of Ecology, the parties discussed a wide range of issues such as the activities of CAREC in the field of climate change; implementation status and plans of CAMP4ASB project for 2019-2020; the results of the CAREC meeting with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in August this year and the possibility of including a separate chapter on Central Asia in the 7th IPCC report.
The meeting with Ramazan Zhampiisov, Head of the International Green Technologies & Investments Center (IGTIC) was also productive. Mr. Zhampiisov was informed about the activities of CAREC and the possible ways of cooperation between IGTIC and CAREC.
During the meeting with the Director of the Center for the Study of China, ways to establish and expand opportunities with partners from China were discussed. As Special Advisor to the 6th phase of the China Council for International Cooperation in the field of environmental protection and development, Mr. Makhmudov highlighted CAREC's readiness to cooperate in the framework of the “One Belt - One Road” initiative on regional and national levels. CAREC is a member of the International Coalition for Green Development of the “One Belt - One Road” Initiative and is willing to contribute in every possible way to solving environmental issues and fulfilling the SDGs in Central Asia
Based on the results of the meeting, there was reached an agreement on development of the Concept on possible areas of cooperation with national partners in Kazakhstan.