Turkmenistan has proposed to host a summit of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) founding state heads in 2018.
Ashgabat’s Permanent Representative to the UN Aksoltan Atayeva, addressing a general political discussion at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, called on the international community to more actively address environmental issues, including the issue of water management.
In this regard, Atayeva suggested holding a summit of the heads of the founding states of the IFAS next year, further noting the importance of participation of representatives of UN specialized agencies in this summit.
The Aral Sea, in Central Asia, used to be the fourth largest lake in the world, after the Caspian Sea, and Lakes Superior and Victoria. Now barely 10% of it is left.
Water level in the Aral Sea has dropped by 26 meters, while the shoreline has receded by hundreds of kilometers. The consequences have been devastating on an environmental, economic, and social level.
The IFAS was established in 1993 to support scientific and practical research and organize financing social and economic and environmental programs in the region aimed at improving environmental situation of Aral Sea region.
Turkmenistan is chairing the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in 2017-2019.
Atayeva further spoke about the International Energy Charter Conference.
Reminding that Turkmenistan acted as the Chairman of the International Energy Charter Conference this year, Atayeva said that her country sought to intensify the process of developing a new international mechanism in the field of sustainable energy
“In this context, we welcome the establishment of an international expert group on energy security and sustainable energy, and invite states to participate actively in the work of the International Energy Charter Conference, which will be held on November 28-29 in Ashgabat,” the Permanent Representative said. (AzerNews/Business World Magazine)
