Online meeting titled "Multilateral Dialogue on the Development of Cooperation in the Aral Sea Region", dedicated to the Earth Day, was held in a videoconference format on Thursday. The meeting focused on developing cooperation to preserve environmental welfare in the Aral Sea region.
The Dialogue was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the State Committee for Water Resources of Turkmenistan, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan said in its press release.
The event gathered heads and representatives of relevant Turkmen ministries and departments, representatives of the Mejlis, specialized universities and public organizations of the country, as well as international and regional organizations that cooperate with Turkmenistan in the field of environmental protection.
The participants discussed the efforts and initiatives of Turkmenistan to address the issues of preserving the Aral Sea and improving the socio-economic situation of the population living on the Aral Sea basin.
The online event also featured presentations by the Acting UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, the UNICEF Representative in Turkmenistan Kristina Veigand, the Deputy Chairman of the IFAS Executive Committee Husiddin Sharofitdinov, the UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan Natia Natsvlishvili, the Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) Zafar Makhmudov, the FAO Representative for Central Asia Sumiter Broca, and the Head of the GIZ’s Green Central Asia Program Dr Caroline Milow.
During a government meeting in early April, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov instructed the Vice-Premier Mammetmyrat Geldiniyazov to keep under constant control the comprehensive preventive measures, including construction of scientific centers and hospitals, against the harmful impacts of the shrinking Aral Sea.
