Experts of GGGI to visit Uzbekistan to study the Aral crisis

In accordance with the instructions of the head of state, a delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan led by First Deputy Foreign Minister Ilhom Nematov visited the Republic of Korea on December 21-22, 2018 to discuss cooperation with the Global Green Growth Institute and the Global Adaptation Commission, which is chaired by Ex-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the press service of the Foreign Ministry said.

At the meeting with Ban Ki-Moon in Seoul, an exchange of views on the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea region took place. The former UN Secretary-General highly appreciated the practical measures taken in Uzbekistan to combat the negative consequences of the Aral crisis and welcomed the international initiatives of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev aimed at further increasing the attention of the international community to this problem and mobilizing donor assistance to solve it.

“At a recent meeting in Tashkent, we with the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed a wide range of issues, including attracting the efforts and resources of the international donor community to combat the consequences of the Aral disaster,” Ban Ki-moon said. “We welcome the interest of Uzbekistan in establishing cooperation with the Institute for Global Green Growth and the Global Adaptation Commission.”

He visited Uzbekistan at the end of last month to participate in an international conference on the Aral Sea region in Nukus and on November 27 was received by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

A delegation of Uzbekistan also visited the headquarters of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and got acquainted with the activities of this organization. During the presentation, organized with the assistance of the Embassy of our country in the Republic of Korea, GGGI experts familiarized themselves with the situation in the Aral Sea region.

The parties discussed on the basis of specific projects promising areas of cooperation to improve the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral crisis zone, including with the involvement of financial and technical assistance from international donor agencies.

Following the presentation of projects for the rehabilitation of the Aral zone, an agreement was reached on organizing a visit of GGGI experts to our country to study the state of affairs in the field and implement the presented projects.