The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution initiated by Uzbekistan “Central Asia facing environmental challenges: Fostering regional solidarity for sustainable development and prosperity”.

The intergovernmental negotiation process to develop and agree on the resolution text took place over two months, from October to November, at the UN Headquarters in New York. Experts from countries from all continents of the world, including the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and others, actively participated in the consultations. As a result, representatives of more than 100 countries made several proposals to fill the text with specific content and achieve universal consensus.

The text mentions several initiatives of the President of Uzbekistan, including the Green Agenda for Central Asia and its role in promoting sustainable development in the region. In the resolution, member states welcome Uzbekistan’s initiative to hold the International Climate Forum in Samarkand in 2024. Particular attention is paid to efforts to mitigate the consequences of the drying up of the Aral Sea, with specific emphasis on the activities of the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region, created on the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan.

The resolution contains specific tasks to effectively counter Central Asia's climate and environmental threats, including sustainable agriculture, landscaping, rational use of water resources, energy efficiency, waste recycling, development of sustainable tourism, creation of smart cities, and sustainable transport.

The General Assembly recommended that the UN system, international and financial institutions, the private sector, investors, and donors continue to mobilize resources, build capacity, and assist in addressing environmental problems in Central Asia.

The resolution also sets out the initiatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan in environmental protection.

The document was presented on behalf of all Central Asian countries. The co-sponsors of the resolution also included countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Türkiye, China, Singapore, Hungary, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, Jordan, and Paraguay (covering representatives of all UN regional groups).

UzA