TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, November 16. Ecology, climate change, and the growing water scarcity must remain a central focus for Central Asian countries, said President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 7th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of the region in Tashkent, Trend’s special correspondent reports.
He noted that the concept of green development for Central Asia was presented at the first Samarkand Climate Forum, and expressed hope that the participating countries would support the document.
“Given the increasing water deficit and its negative impact on sustainable development, we propose declaring 2026 and 2036 as decades of practical action on the rational use of water in Central Asia,” he emphasized.
The President also highlighted the importance of actively involving neighboring Afghanistan in regional dialogue on the joint use of Amu Darya basin water resources. He stressed that effective water management is impossible without investment in training specialized professionals.
In this regard, Mirziyoyev announced plans to establish a regional water management competence center at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers.
He also reminded that Uzbekistan will host the World Water Forum next year and expressed hope for the support and active participation of countries in the region.