During the 21st session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (CRIC-21), a meeting took place between the Minister of Ecology, Aziz Abdukhakimov, and the Chairman of the UN Coalition to Combat Sand and Dust Storms, Feras Ziadat.

The meeting discussed cooperation between the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change and the UN Coalition to Combat Sand and Dust Storms in the areas of land degradation research and sustainable land management, including the exchange of expertise and the implementation of joint scientific research activities in regions of Uzbekistan with a high risk of sand and dust storms (SDS).

During the meeting, it was noted that sand and dust storms, observed in the spring and autumn periods in the Bukhara, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent regions as a result of Iranian and Afghan winds, cause harm to the health of the population and animal life.

The Chairman of the UN Coalition highlighted that dust and sand storms are a transboundary issue that is becoming increasingly important. Consequently, the negative consequences particularly affect farmers and people whose livelihoods depend directly on natural resources and agriculture, especially in arid regions.

In order to reduce the impact of SDS, an agreement was reached during the meeting to develop specific methodologies, conduct scientific research, and implement important strategic directions in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Coalition to Combat Sand and Dust Storms.

As a result of the meeting, an agreement was reached on the participation of a delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN Coalition to Combat Sand and Dust Storms in the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP-14), which will take place on February 12-17, 2024, and the Samarkand Climate Forum.