Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 19 August 2026 — On the margins of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17), taking place in Ulaanbaatar from 17 to 28 August under the theme “Restore Land. Restore Hope” representatives of the Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (SIC ICSD IFAS) actively contributed to the organization and thematic programme of the Uzbekistan Pavilion.
The Uzbekistan Pavilion provided an important platform for showcasing national experience in combating land degradation, preventing dust and sand storms, restoring ecosystems and promoting modern approaches to sustainable land management. It also served as a space for professional dialogue with international organizations, financial institutions, the scientific community, experts and development partners. The Director of the SIC ICSD IFAS Branch in Uzbekistan contributed to the preparation and organization of the Pavilion’s programme.
SIC ICSD Representatives attend the Uzbekistan's Pavillion. Photocredit to SIC ICSD.
On 19 August, representatives of SIC ICSD Turkmenistan actively contributed to thematic presentations held at the Uzbekistan Pavilion, focusing on regional environmental initiatives in Central Asia.
One of the key presentations focused on Turkmenistan’s initiative to establish a Regional Centre for Combating Desertification for the Central Asian countries. The initiative is envisaged as a potential mechanism for strengthening regional cooperation, facilitating knowledge and best-practice exchange, advancing joint land degradation monitoring, building capacity and supporting the restoration of degraded lands across the region.
M. Durikov's presenting on the establishment of the Regional Center to Combat Desertification for Central Asian countries at the Pavillon in Uzbekistan. Photocredit to SIC ICSD.
Another presentation highlighted the Regional Environmental Programme for Sustainable Development of Central Asia (REP4SD CA) for 2020-2030 and its role in advancing regional environmental priorities, particularly Sustainable Development Goal No 15, which focuses on protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Particular attention was given to pastoral ecosystems as a key area of practical synergy among the three Rio Conventions — the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Sustainable pasture management can simultaneously contribute to preventing land degradation, conserving biodiversity, strengthening ecosystem resilience to climate change and supporting sustainable livelihoods of local communities.
Presentation of REP4SD by the representative of SIC ICSD. Photocredit to SIC ICSD.
The participation of SIC ICSD IFAS in the Uzbekistan Pavilion therefore contributed to showcasing the regional environmental agenda of Central Asia, strengthening knowledge exchange and promoting practical solutions for sustainable land management, combating desertification and restoring ecosystems.
The Pavilion also demonstrated the value of regional cooperation and coordinated efforts to advance Central Asian initiatives on the international UNCCD platform, creating further opportunities for partnership-building and for raising international awareness of the region’s environmental priorities.
The event contributes to the achievement of:
| Priority Area No 5 dedicated to SDG 15: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems” |
| 5.1.2 Capacity-building for sustainable management of forests, land, and pastures. |
| Priority area No 6 of REP4SD dedicated to SDG 17: “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development” |
| 6.1 Involvement of the region into implementation of global environmental conventions, programmes and initiatives. |
| 6.3 Strengthening of legal, institutional and technical frameworks of the ICSD and its bodies to ensure the implementation of regional programmes and projects, organization of environmental monitoring in Central Asia, and cooperation with other regional and international organizations for the sustainable development of Central Asia. |