In Samarkand, an agreement was signed between the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Ibrahim Thiaw, and the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, Aziz Abdukhakimov, regarding the conduct of the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC-21).
For information, the international event will take place from Nowember 13th to 17th. The conference will discuss the processes of implementing the strategic goals of sustainable land management, enhancing drought resilience, supporting women's leadership in sustainable agriculture, as well as combating land degradation and forced migration associated with climate change. Additionally, representatives from the 196 participating countries of the Convention, civil society, scientific communities, donors, and international organizations will discuss desertification, drought, dust storms, sustainable land use, and land restoration.
Minister of Ecology, Aziz Abdukhakimov, who spoke at the agreement signing ceremony, drew attention to desertification, land degradation, forest fires, and other environmental issues.
"The environmental agenda is one of the main priorities of the state policy of New Uzbekistan. More than half of the country's investments are directed to areas affected by desertification. In particular, in order to prevent dust and salt storms, forests were planted on an area of more than 2 million hectares on the dried bottom of the Aral Sea,” said Aziz Abdukhakimov. "Furthermore, he Central Asian University for the Study of Environmental Protection and Climate Change - Green University, has been created in Tashkent, the goal of which is to form qualified personnel to quickly and effectively solve environmental problems,” the minister added.
At the same time, the minister emphasized that the CRIC-21 event will contribute to further strengthening mutual cooperation in the field of ecology.
"Every year, we lose 100 million hectares of land for livestock grazing, food production, animal feed, and other natural needs. Nature can no longer sustain this balance. This conference will provide an opportunity to determine what needs to be done in the next 20-30 years for the health of the economy, human beings, and at the same time, the health of ecosystems. Uzbekistan plays an important role in finding solutions to environmental problems," said Ibrahim Thiaw.
For information, during the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP-15) held in the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire from May 9th to 20th, 2022, it was decided to hold the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC-21) in Uzbekistan in 2023.
