UNDP, Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan co-hosted a workshop on sustainable development of Aral Sea region.
On May 6, United Nations Development Programme, the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan and the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan co-hosted a workshop session for the Working Group on Sustainable Investments under the Advisory Committee of UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region in Nukus, Karakalpakstan. This is the first time such event was held in Nukus after the travel restrictions were lifted. This workshop was held in combination with the series of national consultations in the lead up to the Stockholm+50 conference that is going to take place in Stockholm on 2 and 3 June 2022.
With the main objective of facilitation of the implementation of the Integrated Roadmap for the sustainable development of the Aral Sea region, the workshop contributed to the practice of formation of a portfolio of interconnected, innovative projects, drawing on foreign investment to develop new environment-friendly technologies, and means to improve natural resource management, prevent desertification and limit labor migration, among other expected results. The members of the Council of Ministers, as well as relevant line Ministries of Karakalpakstan presented on investment and development opportunities in the region in line with the thematic areas of the Integrated Roadmap, to hopefully trigger interest and good project ideations.
The session also included a presentation on the monitoring of ongoing and pipelined interventions in the Aral Sea region in line with the implementation of the Integrated Roadmap by international development partners. This practice has demonstrated the areas of the Roadmap that have been already covered, as well as identified the gaps within thematic directions of the Integrated Roadmap that require further attention by the international development community.
The participants and decision makers also discussed presented project ideas that are relevant in creating the portfolio on Aral Sea Region in line with the view of transformation the Region into a Zone of Ecological Innovations and Technologies. Shortlisted intervention directions in the region included improving water management, energy efficiency and agricultural practices, improving livelihoods, protecting natural resources, developing infrastructure, and ensuring community resilience.
“Such active discussions re-invigorate the international community to strategize new investments in the region that can bring transformational change for its people and livelihoods” said Doina Munteanu, the Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Uzbekistan. Meanwhile Mr. Khabibullaev Bakhitjan, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan underlined that “Today’s workshop is of double importance since it is combined with the preparation of Uzbekistan for the international meeting Stockholm + 50, which is timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the beginning of international attention to solving environmental problems”.
Nearly 100 national and international professionals took part in the session, including international development partners and donors, national partners lead by the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade, regional line ministries lead by the Council of Ministers of Karakalpakstan, along with representatives of NGOs and civil society organizations. The national and international participants are expected to effectively utilize this platform to join efforts in the development of project portfolios in the Aral Sea region.
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