With the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the delegation of Turkmenistan took part in the meeting of the Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (ICSD IFAS), which was held in Astana.

The delegation’s trip was organized within the framework of the UNDP/GEF project “Conservation and sustainable management of land resources and ecosystems in the Aral Sea basin.” The goal is to promote more active and informed participation of Turkmenistan in regional efforts to improve the management and restoration of land and water resources in the Aral Sea basin.

A meeting of the Advisory Council was held here with the participation of representatives of environmental and economic departments, structures under the ICSD and public organizations of Central Asian countries.

During the two-day meeting of the ICSD, cross-border cooperation in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development was discussed. The Republic of Kazakhstan presented a report on its chairmanship, after which the chairmanship passed to Tajikistan. Plans for the Regional Environmental Protection Program for 2024–2026 were also presented.

Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan Begench Miminov noted the important role of IFAS and ICSD in building a dialogue to resolve the problems of the Aral crisis. He stated that Turkmenistan supports the initiatives of the founding countries of IFAS to intensify regional cooperation and create mechanisms for cooperation in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development in Central Asia.

“Our common goal is to create a harmonious, sustainable and long-term system of cooperation based on ensuring the interests of the countries of the region, the well-being of peoples, their health, development and progress,” Miminov emphasized.