On 30 November-1 December 2016, the informal working meeting for coordination of cooperation with international partners in the framework of preparation of Turkmenistan Chairmanship in the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was convened in Ashgabat.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Turkmenistan, in close collaboration with the GIZ «Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia".
The working meeting was attended by the representatives of national authorities and the following international organizations: UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, GIZ «Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia" Programme, World Bank, European Union, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Regional environmental centre for Central Asia and others.
The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss and identify the areas of cooperation with international partners, in accordance with their experience and potential interest for providing support to the Executive Committee of IFAS of Central Asia.
During the meeting, representative of international organizations made respective presentations on their activities implemented in Central Asia. International organizations, national and international experts discussed the main directions which be implemented by IFAS with the support of international partners during the chairmanship of Turkmenistan over the next three years.
Many questions were asked by international partners about the main directions of Turkmenistan Chairmanship in IFAS, in particular the questions related to the structure and content of the Central Asian Water Strategy.
As the results of the meeting, representatives of international organizations confirmed their readiness to support further efforts aimed at developing regional cooperation within the framework of Turkmenistan chairmanship in IFAS, including realization of the existing projects of Aral Sea Basin Programme and the new directions initiated by Turkmenistan in its Concept of the chairmanship in the IFAS. Participants also expressed confidence that Turkmenistan will become a platform for the implementation of the common efforts of Central Asian countries in the further development of regional water and environmental cooperation.
The main result of the meeting was the coordination of the main areas of activities and support among international partners.
