IFAS 30th anniversary: a unique profile of the regional platform
The problem of the Aral Sea, as it is known, has a multidimensional dimension and attracts the attention of the entire world community. Much here depends on the coordinated actions of the Central Asian countries, which are directly experiencing the negative consequences of this environmental disaster.
Realizing the complexity of the situation in the Aral Sea region, the countries of the region created the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in 1993, having developed and adopted a number of joint documents.
These measures marked the beginning of a dialogue, the formation of mechanisms for interstate interaction in order to implement joint practical actions and promising programs to overcome the consequences of the Aral crisis, improve the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea basin.
As noted at the IFAS Board meeting held on Monday, June 5, in the Tajik capital, where Turkmenistan was presented by Deputy Prime Minister Annageldy Yazmuradov, thanks to the unanimous desire of the Central Asian countries, the Fund managed to consolidate efforts at the interstate level to improve the socio- ecological situation in the region in a relatively short time.
This year, IFAS celebrates its 30th anniversary, and the conference "Central Asia: Towards a Sustainable Future through a Strong Regional Institution", held in Dushanbe on June 5-7, is dedicated to this date. On its main day, June 6, a speech by the President of Tajikistan, who chairs the Fund for 2020-2023, is expected.
The conference is designed to reflect on past achievements, give an idea of current areas of cooperation and develop a future vision program, as well as to summarize the results in the creation of an interstate basin organization for cooperation in the Aral Sea basin, to consider broader regional developments, problems and opportunities. The dialogue is aimed at recognizing the IFAS profile as a unique, results-oriented political platform for regional cooperation in the field of water resources, energy, environment and socio-economic development in the Aral Sea basin.
The Forum gathered about 500 participants, including high-ranking officials, politicians, experts, scientists and enthusiasts from the IFAS founding states and other regions, representing government agencies, international organizations, financial institutions, academia, civil society and other interested parties. Special attention will be paid to the participation of youth, women, the private sector and the scientific community.
Interactive dialogues are organized on the margins of the conference to exchange experiences and create synergies between countries, generations of specialists in the field of water resources and the environment, between representatives from the public and private sectors, between politicians and scientists.
Turkmenistan has made a significant contribution to strengthening IFAS as an effective regional structure. One of the main results of his chairmanship in the Fund - 2017-2019 – was the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on "Cooperation between the United Nations and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea". An important point of the mentioned document is the proposal to consider the possibility of developing a Special UN program for the Aral Sea basin.
So, at the end of the thirty-year period, it is necessary to note the importance of the decision taken at the time to create the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, which allowed the Central Asian countries to attract the attention of the world community to the problems of the Aral Sea basin through coordinated efforts within the framework of IFAS, to establish cooperation with regional and international organizations, to ensure the implementation of projects and programs.
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