ASHGABAT (TCA) — Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat on January 30 hosted a Board meeting of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), co-organized by the IFAS Executive Committee and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan in cooperation with the Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia Program of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia, State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported.
The meeting, which gathered representatives from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, focused on the IFAS Executive Committee’s Action Plan under Turkmenistan’s chairmanship, preparations for the Summit of Heads of State of the Asian countries, and drawing up the Aral Sea Basin Program (ASBP-4).
Meeting participants considered issues of promoting partnership between the Central Asian countries in the field of sustainable development and rational use of water resources in the region on the basis of accumulated successful experience and close cooperation with major international organizations.
An exchange of opinions was held on the development and implementation of projects under the Aral Sea Basin Program, whose main aim is to improve water resources management, and the ecological and socio-economic conditions in cooperation with international partners in the context of working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The event participants agreed upon the creation of national and regional expert groups to hold consultations with international organizations and partners and to assist in drawing up the Regional Environmental Program for Sustainable Development in Central Asia.
The meeting also approved plans for extended cooperation between IFAS and international and regional organizations, financial institutions, donor countries, and ecological funds.
