Shavkat Mirziyoyev elected president of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea

Shavkat Mirziyoyev elected president of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea

On April 22 of this year, Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the next meeting of the Council of Heads of the Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. The meeting, chaired by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, was also attended by the presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, as well as Askhat Orazbay, chairman of the Executive Committee of the fund. The meeting summed up the results of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in 2023-2026 and discussed issues of improving the environmental situation in the Aral Sea basin, managing water resources, and ensuring socio-economic stability. The head of our state noted that water shortages are increasing in the context of climate change, and noted that by 2040, the water shortage in the region could reach 20 billion cubic meters per year. At the end of the event, the leaders signed the Astana Declaration, resolutions on the progress of Kazakhstan's chairmanship, on declaring March 26 the International Day of the Aral Sea, Amu Darya and Syrdarya, and on electing Shavkat Mirziyoyev as the president of the fund for 2027-2029. The President noted that within the framework of Uzbekistan's chairmanship of the fund, which will begin next year, he will focus on strengthening regional integration and cooperation, increasing the effectiveness of programs in the Aral Sea Basin, attracting international financial resources, and developing cooperation in the areas of water and energy, climate change, and combating desertification. It was also proposed to launch the "Water of the Future" regional program aimed at training farmers and industry representatives in water-saving technologies. The need to involve Afghanistan in regional environmental and water management cooperation was also noted.