Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 20 June 2013 – The 26th meeting of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (ICSD) of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was held, bringing together more than 30 representatives of environmental ministries and agencies from the countries of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – as well as international partners, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Central Asia Programme of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the WECOOP project, and others.
The meeting was financially supported by UNEP, UNECE, and the European Union’s WECOOP Project, which aims to strengthen regional cooperation between the EU and Central Asia in the field of environment and water resource management.
ICSD Meeting participants. Photocredit to SIC ICSD
Objectives of the Meeting
The meeting aimed to review the outcomes of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the ICSD during the 2011-2012 period. A comprehensive report on the work carried out under Kazakhstan’s leadership was presented and endorsed by the participants. One of the key organizational outcomes of the meeting was the official transfer of the ICSD chairmanship to the Republic of Tajikistan for the period 2013-2014, in line with the rotational principle established in the ICSD Statute.
The participants were also briefed on the results of an expert meeting titled “Rio+20: Challenges and Opportunities for the ICSD of Central Asia,” convened with the support of UNECE. Building on this discussion, the meeting further explored ways to enhance the effectiveness of the Regional Environmental Action Plan for Central Asia (REAP) and its priority areas.
Special attention was devoted to the opportunities for advancing regional cooperation in the transition to a “green economy.” The Republic of Kazakhstan presented an initiative in this area, which received broad support. As a follow-up, it was proposed to establish a Working Group with the participation of representatives from all Central Asian states. The Group will be tasked with preparing recommendations to strengthen the institutional and legal framework for environmental cooperation under the ICSD’s mandate, with a particular focus on advancing the green economy agenda.
Representatives of the Secretariat of the Bonn Convention (Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals – CMS) shared information on the participation of Central Asian countries in international agreements aimed at the protection of migratory wildlife species and expressed readiness for further cooperation with ICSD in this area. It was noted that such agreements could play a vital role in strengthening transboundary environmental cooperation.
WWF provided an update on the implementation of projects aimed at establishing an ecological network in the region, including initiatives carried out under an agreement with ICSD, focused on biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of resilient ecosystems.
Outcomes of the Meeting
The meeting concluded with the approval of Kazakhstan’s report on the achievements during its chairmanship of the ICSD and an expression of appreciation for its contribution to promoting regional cooperation. The chairmanship of the ICSD for 2013–2014 was officially transferred to the Republic of Tajikistan.
In addition, the participants expressed their readiness to consider the establishment of a dedicated ICSD Working Group on water pollution – one of the priority directions under REAP – with methodological and financial support from UNECE, UNEP, and the European Union. The meeting also approved the formation of a Working Group, coordinated by SIC ICSD, to prepare recommendations for strengthening the institutional and legal framework for regional environmental cooperation under the ICSD mandate and to explore prospects for further collaboration in advancing the green economy. The meeting concluded with a recommendation that Central Asian countries participate in the upcoming Global Snow Leopard Conservation Forum, scheduled for September 2013 in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
ICSD meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the Central Asian countries to deepening cooperation in the field of sustainable development and environmental security and outlined concrete steps for strengthening regional initiatives and international partnerships.