The first meeting within the framework of the Regional Dialogue on Cross-Border Cooperation in the Field of Management of Protected Natural Areas in Central Asia was held in Tashkent.

The purpose of the event was to establish a dialogue with environmental organizations of neighboring countries, support in improving coordination in cross-border protected natural areas and increase the effectiveness of joint actions to overcome the negative impact of climate change on land use and biodiversity.

The Dialogue was organized by the regional programs of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) "Green Central Asia", "Integrated Land Use taking into account Climate change in Central Asia" and "Environmentally oriented regional development of the Aral Sea region".

The first event in the capital of Uzbekistan brought together representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, relevant state line ministries and departments on protected natural areas, forestry of five Central Asian countries.

On behalf of Turkmenistan, the meeting was attended by the head of the scientific department of the Kaplankyr Nature Reserve (online), and the country's representative to the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (personal presence).

The dialogue raised numerous questions about joint work on the identification and study of ecological migration corridors and the harmful effects of fences on migratory species. The participants discussed the implementation of international obligations on the conservation of biodiversity, the possibility of creating a transboundary specially protected area between the countries of Central Asia, in particular in places where national specially protected natural territories have already been created near state borders.

During the dialogue, a consensus was reached on issues of further cooperation, combining efforts in the sustainable management of border specially protected natural areas(SPNA).

The participants proposed the creation of a permanent working group consisting of representatives of relevant state line ministries and departments on protected natural areas, which will deal with issues of cooperation in the field of management of border protected natural areas in Central Asia.

The next meeting of the Dialogue will be held in the first quarter of 2023 with the participation of international experts in the format of a training on the management of transboundary SPNA with different types of ecosystems (mountain, desert, water). It is planned to create a management plan and develop a roadmap.

International organizations such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the Mikhail Sukkov Foundation (MSF, Germany), the International Organization for Fauna and Flora (FFI), the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, the German Nature Protection Union (NABU) also actively participated in the dialogue.

ORIENT news
Photo provided GIZ