The United Nations, in collaboration with the Government of Uzbekistan and key development partners, organized a parallel event within the framework of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, dedicated to sustainable development in the Aral Sea region.
The event, organized jointly with the Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea Region in Uzbekistan, demonstrated six years of achievements in environmental restoration and community sustainability, eliminating the environmental and social consequences of the Aral Sea crisis. It also provided a platform for new commitments to combat climate change from regional and international partners.
“The Aral Sea region presents both challenges and resilience in our fight against climate change. The United Nations firmly supports the people of Karakalpakstan by implementing initiatives that are both climate-resilient and people-oriented”, said Tatyana Molchan, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UNECE.
Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov confirmed the country’s commitment to solving the crisis: “The Government of Uzbekistan is fully committed to the restoration of the Aral Sea region. Our efforts in the fields of sustainable agriculture, green energy, and health infrastructure are crucial steps forward, demonstrating that cooperation is the key to overcoming this environmental tragedy”.
Partners from the Global Institute for Green Growth, Italy, the OPEC Fund for International Development, and UN agencies (UNDP, UNECE, UNFPA) have reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable development in the Aral Sea region, supporting transformative changes. The dialogue highlighted the urgent need to strengthen resilience in health, agriculture, and livelihoods to address growing climate challenges. The demonstrated video showed six years of effective projects of the Aral Sea Trust Fund, which benefited more than 293,000 people.
“Together we are building paths to a sustainable future”, said Ivana Živković, UNDP Assistant Secretary General and Regional Director. “The UN Family and the UNDP country office in Uzbekistan are committed to the Aral Sea region, ensuring that our interventions will contribute to climate change adaptation, community health, and sustainability”.
Obidjon Kudratov, Deputy Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, highlighted ambitious plans for the revival of the Aral Sea region, saying: “Our vision goes beyond environmental restoration. We strive to create new economic opportunities”. Florence Bauer, UNFPA Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, praised the transformative impact of projects implemented over the past six years. “UNFPA is committed to supporting the health and well—being of communities in the Aral Sea region, focusing on maternal health and women’s empowerment as the key to sustainable development”, said she.
The event ended with the resumption of commitments by stakeholders to address urgent climate-related issues in the Aral Sea region. Building on six years of effective projects, the Aral Sea Trust Fund and its partners are focused on scaling innovative, climate-resilient solutions to support local health, livelihoods and sustainability. The vision is to make the Aral Sea region a model of sustainability and a source of hope for communities facing similar climate impacts around the world.
Ministry of Ecology, environmental protection and climate change of the Republic of Uzbekistan
