On August 19 in Tashkent, during the High-Level Meeting between Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and European partners on “Cooperation for Common Development”, former SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov underscored Uzbekistan’s special role in forming and strengthening the region’s climate agenda.

According to him, the format of Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia, initiated by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, today serves as a “strategic shield” of the region in addressing intensifying environmental challenges.

At the same time, to increase the effectiveness of this mechanism, Mr. Alimov stressed the need for coordinated actions by all states of the region aimed at shaping a unified climate policy. In addition, he noted that expanding international partnerships, especially with technologically advanced countries, is acquiring particular importance.

In this context, the guest highly praised the European initiative “Green Central Asia” and the investment agreement signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Samarkand, which opened new prospects for joint efforts in the region.

According to the former SCO Secretary-General, the key areas of such cooperation should include investments in green technologies, the conduct of cross-border scientific research, the exchange of data on greenhouse gas emissions, as well as broad environmental education of the population.

“Only through joint action and strategic leadership will the region be able to ensure sustainable development and effectively counter growing climate threats”, concluded Rashid Alimov.

The event was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Agency for Strategic Reforms under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Nizami Ganjavi International Center with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The forum was attended by more than 30 high-level guests, including former heads of state and government from countries such as Norway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Latvia, Croatia, Austria, and the Czech Republic. In addition, representatives of leading international organizations – the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization – also joined the event.

On the Uzbek side, the meeting was attended by the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, the Ministry of Digital Technologies, the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of the country’s leading analytical centers.

UzA