The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution “Central Asia in the face of global climate threats: strengthening regional unity on the way to sustainable development and prosperity” developed at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Reportedly, the process of intergovernmental negotiations on the development and agreement of the text of the resolution was held at the headquarters of the UN in New York in October-November of this year. Experts from all continents of the world, including USA, Russia, China, European Union, France, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and more than one hundred countries took an active part in the consultations. They also made many suggestions to fill the text with specific content and reach a general consensus.
The text of the document specifically mentions a number of initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan, including the “Green Agenda for Central Asia” and his role in promoting sustainable development in the region. In the resolution, the UN member states welcomed Uzbekistan’s initiative to hold the International Climate Forum in Samarkand in 2024.
Focusing on efforts to mitigate the consequences of the drying up of the Aral Sea, the need to strengthen the activities of the UN Multilateral Partnership Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea Region, established at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, was emphasized. Therefore, an appeal has been sent to the international community to continue actively supporting this fund.
The document notes the importance of introducing innovative methods and new technologies in the fight against desertification and land degradation.
In order to effectively combat climate and environmental threats in Central Asia, the resolution defines specific tasks for sustainable agriculture, horticulture, rational use of water resources, energy efficiency, waste processing, development of sustainable tourism, creation of “smart cities” and sustainable transport.
The General Assembly also recommended that the UN system, international and financial institutions, the private sector, investors and donors continue to mobilize resources, build capacity and provide assistance to address environmental challenges in Central Asia.
The resolution also describes the initiatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in the field of environmental protection.
The document was presented on behalf of all Central Asian countries.
The co-authors of the resolution included countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, China, Singapore, Hungary, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, and Paraguay (including representatives of all UN regional groups).
