On February 13 in Tashkent, the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov and the chief of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Carlos Rodriguez discussed the implementation of the fund’s projects in Uzbekistan, the press service of the Ministry of Ecology said in a statement.
In early February, the GEF Council contributed $26 million to finance five projects in the Central Asia Water and Land Linkages for Ecosystem Restoration, Improved Natural Resource Management and Resilience (CAWLN) regional program.
Four out of five projects totaling $18.6 million will be implemented with the participation of Uzbekistan with the assistance of the Food and Agriculture United Nations (FAO). Among them:
- land restoration in vulnerable ecosystems of Central Asia;
- strengthening integrated and comprehensive water resources management in the Amu Darya, Zarafshan, Pyanj, Syrdarya and Naryn river basins;
- integrated natural resource management to improve ecosystem and biodiversity conservation.
“Central Asian ministers are ready for regional cooperation to restore ecosystems and prevent climate change. Our five countries are interconnected, and the Central Asian region is one ecosystem,” noted Aziz Abdukhakimov.
The chief of the GEF expressed gratitude to the government of Uzbekistan for its strong political commitment to the protection and conservation of vulnerable ecosystems in the Central Asian region.
During the talks, the parties discussed an international agreement on the high seas, cooperation with the Central Asian Green University and other issues.
