As previously reported, Samarkand hosts the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14).

On February 12, the address of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the participants was read out at the forum’s opening ceremony. Officials of the United Nations and other international organizations addressed the event and expressed their opinions on the issues discussed at CMS COP14.

We interviewed the conference participants on implementing this convention in various countries.

Abdushukur Khamzayev, Chairman of the Central Council of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan:

– The event taking place in Samarkand has practical and theoretical significance. As noted in the slogan of the forum, nature knows no borders. Before the pandemic, the meeting was held with the participation of 133 states. This time, more than a thousand guests from international organizations and foreign countries are participating in it. They are discussing the need for careful conservation of migratory species of wild animals in the current climate change environment.

Holding this forum in our country testifies to the international recognition of Uzbekistan’s environmental policy, which is the result of large-scale reforms implemented in recent years.  In the address of the President of Uzbekistan to the conference participants, special attention is paid to issues in climate change prevention.

Rodney Jackson, Founder – Director of the Snow Leopard Conservancy:

– Today, over 1 million 400 snow leopards exist in 12 countries. In particular, on this continent, this species is found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Mongolia. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are favorable places for increasing and carefully preserving the snow leopards, since there are many mountainous places here. In 2014, when I arrived in Uzbekistan, I discovered that about 25 snow leopards live here. Now, their number has exceeded 70, which I am happy about. This indicates the positive attitude of your state towards nature and wild animals.

Keshav Varma, Senior International Advisor and Founding Director of Global Tiger Initiative:

– First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the leadership of Uzbekistan for the high level of organization of the event and the successful fulfillment of the tasks outlined in the convention. In particular, we are happy with the increased attention to the conservation of snow leopards. This attitude is supported by a scientific basis, that is, several programs have been adopted and measures have been outlined. We support this. Within the framework of the event, a ministerial meeting of the Steering Committee of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program was held. Considering the changing habitat of the snow leopard due to global warming and melting glaciers and the importance of developing joint actions to preserve this species, the historic Samarkand Resolution was adopted, outlining the primary obligations. The Resolution outlines tasks to increase attention to the ecosystem of mountain regions and snow leopard habitats, to use funds allocated by the World Bank and other organizations effectively, and to improve the attitude of countries and people toward wild animals further.

G.Khasanov, UzA