“The Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia are regional institutions established by the governments of the Central Asian countries to coordinate cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, climate change and sustainable development,” stated Batyr Mammedov, Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), at the meeting of the Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (ICSD of IFAS) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
In his remarks, CAREC Executive Director Batyr Mammedov first expressed his gratitude to the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan for inviting him to participate in such an important regional event as the ICSD meeting, where issues of regional cooperation were discussed.
“The Central Asian states have committed to cooperation based on mutual respect and adherence to the principles of sustainable development,” noted the CAREC Executive Director.
Batyr Mammedov also emphasized the need to strengthen joint action on climate and ecosystems, underscoring that “regional water and environmental cooperation is of strategic importance both for Central Asia and for global environmental sustainability.”
“We consider it important to further enhance cooperation among the countries of our region on climate change mitigation and adaptation, combating desertification and land degradation, improving early warning systems, and promoting joint projects, programs and initiatives in these areas that serve the interests of all countries and peoples of Central Asia,” said Batyr Mammedov.
At the ICSD meeting in Dushanbe on 4 November 2025, representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as international organizations including GIZ, UNEP, JICA and FAO, discussed key issues of regional environmental cooperation. The agenda focused on the results of the ICSD’s work for 2024–2025, implementation of the Regional Environmental Protection Program for Sustainable Development, development of the green economy, waste management and climate adaptation measures. Another important subject of discussion was the preparation of Central Asian countries for major international climate and environmental forums, including the Conferences of the Parties to the UNCCD, UNFCCC and CITES.
Special attention was given to the development of regional centers on waste management and mountain development, as well as cooperation with NGOs. The meeting concluded with the approval of ICSD draft decisions and agreement on next steps to strengthen environmental sustainability in Central Asia.
