On the 5th of June 2019, the International Conference on the “Role of Water Diplomacy in achieving the Sustainable Development in Central Asia” dedicated to the World Environment Day was held in Ashgabat.
The heads and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Protection, State Committee of Water Management of Turkmenistan, UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, UN Representative Office in Turkmenistan, including the sector agencies of the UN, as well as the representatives of the international and regional organizations working in the field of environment protection and water management participated to the Conference. The high-ranking representatives, experts of water industry organizations of the Central Asia and heads of the diplomatic missions accredited in Turkmenistan also attended the meeting.
During their speeches, the Minister of Agriculture and Environment Protection of Turkmenistan M.Bayramdurdiyev, as well as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Central Asia, Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia N.German noted the significance of rational use of water resources on the regional and global levels, and noted the importance of large-scale projects implemented in Turkmenistan. The role of Turkmenistan in the process of establishing the cooperation between the UN and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea was specifically noted.
During the conference, the participants thoroughly discussed the key aspects of collaboration between the countries and noted the main courses of water diplomacy in Central Asia. Also, the potential challenges to the process of nature protection and the opportunities for perfecting the cooperation for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals were considered.
