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On April 25 the European Union presented €6 million ($6.4 million) to the Uzbek government to support the country's National Food Security and Healthy Nutrition Strategy. Alongside the grant the EU has also provided funds to help the Ministry of Agriculture to carry out its planning reforms. Further funding of €20 million ($21.4 million) will be issued later this year and next, in support of Uzbekistan's National Agriculture Development Strategy for 2020-2030. The overall objective is the establishment of more market-orientated and sustainable agriculture and food sectors, and subsequently, the creation of more jobs and better access to safe and nutritious food for people in Uzbekistan. “The agri-food sector is critical for Uzbekistan’s economy and is a major source of employment,” commented the EU's ambassador to Uzbekistan Charlotte Adriaen. “Family-run or ‘dekhan’ farms produce most of the meat and vegetables consumed by Uzbek citizens. Our focus is therefore on those reforms that enable these farms to prosper, adapt to a changing climate, protect the environment, produce healthy food, and become part of local and global value chains. The grant funding together with other European Union initiatives such as GSP+ will also help to boost exports to the EU.” The European Union is Uzbekistan’s main funder of developments in the agriculture and food sectors. Between 2020-2023 it provided grants totaling €32.5 million ($35 million).
An Action Plan has been signed to develop cooperation between the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan and the Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan. According to the ministry, the Plan covers a wide range of activities, including the construction of a waste incineration plant and the establishment of a high-tech industrial park (eco-industrial park). It also includes the introduction of an online environmental monitoring system for key polluting enterprises and the introduction of wastewater treatment technology. Alongside the Action Plan, ongoing cooperation between the parties will further the exchange of knowledge and best practices in combating desertification and creating green belts. In addition, the Ministry and the Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs reviewed proposals for the development of green technology projects, the recycling of household and solid waste, prevention of air pollution, and eco-tourism. The application of Chinese experience in landscaping desert areas and creating seedling farms was also discussed.
On April 22, a press conference was held at the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan with American air quality specialist and researcher Jay Turner speaking to media representatives about the air quality monitoring device installed at the embassy in Tashkent in 2018. According to Turner, the device monitors the concentration of air particles every hour: data is taken every 53 minutes, the remaining seven minutes are spent analyzing it, and the results are compared to the previous hour. Devices recently installed by Uzhydromet also monitor air quality hourly, and their data is roughly similar to that recorded at the U.S. Embassy. However, there are aspects that should be taken into account when comparing the results, says Turner. “It is required to follow certain protocols during the monitoring process. The equipment at the embassy follows these protocols, which I have checked myself. If we assume that Uzhydromet follows these protocols and submits its reports, it can be said that it will be the same as our data,” he said. Turner mentioned that work is currently underway to determine the differences between the monitoring devices. “To find an answer to this question, the U.S. State Department has allocated grant funds to Duke University and plans to install inexpensive air quality monitoring sensors throughout Tashkent. A portion of them has already been installed,” he stated.
On April 27 activists from the Warsaw Post-Soviet Dissident Alliance will hold a protest in Warsaw, Poland, against the Turkmen government. The event is being organized in memory of the dozens of victims of the 2020 windstorm in the city of Turkmenabat. The protest will mark the fourth anniversary of the April 27 storm that brought hurricane-force winds to Turkmenabat. The storm claimed dozens of lives, but authorities in Ashgabat have never mentioned it -- nor have they offered any support to the victims' families. Rather, criminal cases were opened against the volunteers who tried to help people in the city on their own, the Warsaw Alliance have claimed in a statement. The Alliance is demanding that Turkmen authorities acknowledge the storm as a historical fact, disclose the number of dead and injured, pay compensation to the injured citizens and their families, and declare April 27 as a day of mourning. On 27 April 2020 there was a severe windstorm in Turkmenistan. The gales damaged a number of settlements in the Turkmenabat region, leaving hundreds of people homeless. Electricity, gas and drinking water were cut off for several days in places like Lebap, Turkmanabat (partially), Kerki and Farob (completely). Turkmen state television made no mention of the storm. The windstorm also crossed into Uzbekistan, where one death and 41 injuries of various degrees were reported. In contrast to the response of the Turkmen government, Uzbekistan's president Shavkat Mirziyoyev immediately flew to the city of Bukhara, where there was the most damage, to meet with residents.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has announced that the draft Agreement between the governments of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan on the joint implementation of the construction and operation of Kambarata hydroelectric power plant (HPP)-1 has been posted on Kazakhstan’s official Internet portal Open Legal Acts. Available for public discussion, the agreement outlines the terms of cooperation between the parties in the proposed construction of Kambarata HPP-1 on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan. To implement the project, the proposed joint-stock company will be financed with 34 percent of authorized capital belonging to Kyrgyzstan, 33 percent to Kazakhstan, and 33 percent to Uzbekistan. The cost of construction is estimated between $5 billion and $6 billion and although the majority of funds will be drawn from the founders, further investment will be sought from loans and grants from international financial institutions and commercial banks. According to the draft, at the end of the project implementation period, the shares and assets of Kambarata HPP-1 will become the sole property of the Kyrgyz side. If realized, Kambarata HPP-1 will be the largest hydropower plant in Kyrgyzstan.
On April 13, an environmental awareness competition, "Eco-Enthusiasts" was held in Tashkent's Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur Central Ecopark. The event was organized in accordance with the decree of the President, "On measures for effective work of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change," and was timed to coincide with the Day of Ecological Knowledge, which is celebrated on April 15. Students from twelve higher educational institutions participated in the competition, demonstrating their knowledge and ability in answering a series of questions about the environment. The aim of the competition was to raise awareness of environmental issues, develop environmental culture, and disseminate information about contemporary environmental problems and the state of the environment. According to the results, first place went to the team, "Kimyogarlar," second place went to "Staticfacion," and third place went to the team, "Ecofaollar,” who all received prizes.
