A Summit of the heads of the founding states of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea has started in Dushanbe with the participation of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

At the meeting, the leaders of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will discuss the results of joint efforts to improve the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea region, as well as identify new areas and forms of cooperation in this area.

As an active member of IFAS, Turkmenistan supports regional dialogue and practical cooperation to solve problems related to the rational use and protection of water resources, adaptation to climate change and environmental improvement.

The specific initiatives put forward by the Turkmen side, including the promotion of "water diplomacy" as a new form of multilateral diplomatic communication on water issues, are directly related to the key goals and objectives of the United Nations, primarily to ensure universal peace, stability and security, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea was established in 1993 to overcome an environmental disaster in the area of the dried-up Aral Sea. IFAS finances and implements various projects and programs aimed at protecting and restoring the environment, rational use of water resources, adaptation to climate change, improving the socio-economic situation of the population and the development of tourism in the Aral Sea region.