Uzbekistan and Mongolia to develop cooperation on an important issue
Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecological Issues — Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change
Uzbekistan and Mongolia to develop cooperation in an important direction
Aziz Abduhakimov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Ecological Issues — Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, held a meeting with S. Sandag-Ochir, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia.
During the conversation, the parties reviewed opportunities for expanding cooperation in the areas of environmental protection, restoration of degraded lands, and adaptation to climate change.
Uzbekistan and Mongolia face a number of similar environmental challenges. In particular, processes such as desertification, pasture degradation, drought, and the intensification of sand and dust storms are affecting ecosystems, agriculture, and the living conditions of the population.
At the end of the meeting, an agreement was reached to jointly develop the initiative "Aral–Gobi Partnership for Dryland Ecosystem Restoration and Sand and Dust Storm Reduction". In the initial phase, it is planned to identify pilot areas in Uzbekistan and Mongolia, assess priority areas of work, and prepare specific project proposals. In this regard, special attention will be paid to the restoration of degraded lands and pastures, reducing the risk of sand and dust storms, as well as implementing practical solutions for sustainable land resource management.
Uzbekistan and Mongolia also plan to develop joint project proposals and attract international financing. Work in this direction will be carried out, in particular, by utilizing the capabilities of the Adaptation Fund, the Global Environment Facility, the Green Climate Fund, the World Bank, and other international financial mechanisms.
Mongolia's presidency of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification creates special opportunities for promoting joint initiatives.
As a separate direction of cooperation, it is planned to establish a mechanism for preparing land resource management projects in Central Asia and Mongolia. The new mechanism is expected to become a practical tool for developing investment-ready land restoration projects. It will cover processes ranging from identifying priority areas and developing project concepts to forming the project documentation necessary to attract international financing.