BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 11. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Yasmine Fouad, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), discussed ways to expand cooperation on land restoration, combating desertification and addressing the impacts of climate change on the sidelines of the World Leaders' Summit on Climate Action in Antalya, Türkiye, on Wednesday.
According to the Uzbek president’s press service, the sides reviewed the results of their cooperation, noting that 15 joint projects had been implemented over the past five years.
Particular attention was given to environmental restoration in the Aral Sea region, expanding forested areas and strengthening the resilience of arid ecosystems.
The sides also emphasized the importance of improving mechanisms for measuring carbon sequestration and attracting carbon finance to support environmental initiatives.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to strengthen their partnership and advance joint initiatives to combat desertification and promote environmental sustainability.
COP31 is being held in Antalya from November 9 to 20, bringing together world leaders, government representatives and international organizations to discuss climate change mitigation, adaptation, climate finance and the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is a legally binding international agreement established in 1994 to address desertification, land degradation and drought. It brings together 197 parties and promotes sustainable land management, land restoration and international cooperation to strengthen the resilience of communities and ecosystems affected by these challenges. Uzbekistan is a party to the convention and has been working with the UNCCD to advance land restoration and combat desertification, particularly in the Aral Sea region.
