A briefing on the results of Turkmenistan's chairmanship in the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea in 2017-2019, as well as the first Caspian economic forum, held in August this year in the national tourist zone "Avaza", was held today at the Ministry of foreign Affairs.

Ambassadors of our country abroad, representatives of domestic and foreign mass media, as well as students of journalism faculties were invited to the meeting.

As it was emphasized, taking an active position in solving urgent problems of our time, Turkmenistan stands for the deepening and expansion of fruitful partnership in the format of the UN, the international Fund for saving the Aral Sea, with other major authoritative organizations and structures, seeking to promote the optimization of interaction on issues of concern to all mankind today.

In particular, at the initiative of Turkmenistan, Resolutions "Cooperation between the United Nations and The International Fund for saving the Aral Sea" were adopted in 2018 and 2019. These documents were a significant step towards the formation of a legal framework for interaction between the UN and IFAS on a systematic basis.

As the head of this international structure from 2017 to 2019, Turkmenistan has organized and conducted a number of important events aimed at implementing the goals and objectives of the Fund. First of all, it should be noted that the summit of the heads of the founding States of the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea was held in Turkmenbashi on August 24, 2018.

The subject of detailed discussion during the summit of the Presidents of the five Central Asian countries was the joint actions of these States to improve the environmental condition and integrated use of water resources of the Aral Sea basin in the context of climate change, further strengthening of partnership to address water management, environmental and socio-economic issues, and interaction with international organizations.

One of the main results of the summit was the fact that the leaders of the five countries confirmed their commitment to the earlier decisions on joint management and rational use of water resources and environmental protection in the Aral Sea basin, taking into account the interests of all parties on the principles of good neighborliness and mutual respect.

In particular, they expressed their readiness to further improve the organizational structure and legal framework of IFAS in order to create an effective and sustainable institutional mechanism that can respond to new challenges in a timely manner.

In addition, there was consensus on the implementation of regional projects and programs aimed at saving the Aral Sea, environmental rehabilitation of the Aral Sea region and the Aral Sea basin, as well as in the field of integrated use and protection of water resources of transboundary watercourses, water management, energy and socio-economic development.

This was reflected in the joint Communique adopted at the end of the summit.

According to the decisions taken at the meetings of the Board of the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea in January and August 2018, Regional working groups were established to develop the " Program of action to assist the countries of the Aral Sea basin (PASB-4)" and "Improve the institutional and legal mechanisms of IFAS".

During 2018-2019, three meetings of the above-mentioned groups were held, with the participation of national experts and international partners, a draft PASB-4 was prepared and sent for approval to the IFAS founding countries.

Multilateral consultations were also held on the development of a special UN program for the countries of the Aral Sea region, organized by the IFAS Executive Committee together with the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. They were attended by representatives of UN agencies and specialized agencies, other international organizations, specialists and experts of specialized structures of Central Asian countries.

Along with this, the Interstate sustainable development Commission IFAS to adopt a Regional program on environment protection for sustainable development in Central Asia (RPEPSD CA) sustainable development Goals and environmental Conventions of the UN, implementation of the principles of green economy and adaptation to climate change.

In General, in the course of Turkmenistan's chairmanship in the IFAS was given a new impetus to the cooperation of Central Asian countries on all issues of environmental protection, based on accumulated successful experience, enhance the interaction of regional States with major international organizations, primarily the UN, its specialized agencies and institutions.

In this regard, they expressed their gratitude to international partners for their support in implementing the activities of the IFAS Executive Committee.

Strengthening constructive cooperation in the Caspian Sea is also among the priority vectors of Turkmenistan's foreign policy, based on the principles of positive neutrality, good neighborliness and "open doors". Our country makes a significant contribution to the implementation of the impressive diverse potential of the ancient Hazar, fully contributing to the consolidation of its status as a sea of peace, friendship and harmony.

Turkmenistan has repeatedly become a venue for various international conferences, negotiations, meetings, and seminars on the Caspian Sea.

Along with the basic document – the Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, so-called "sectoral" agreements were developed.

Among them are Agreements on cooperation in the field of conservation and rational use of water biological resources of the Caspian Sea, prevention and liquidation of emergency situations, as well as in trade, economic and transport spheres.

Currently, expert meetings are being held in our country to agree on draft agreements, the initiative to develop which was put forward by the President of Turkmenistan at the fifth Caspian summit – in the field of scientific research and in the conduct of search and rescue operations in the Caspian Sea.

In addition, Turkmenistan provides a negotiating platform for the development of two protocols to The agreement in the field of security in the Caspian Sea – in the fight against illegal extraction of biological resources (poaching) and to ensure the safety of navigation.

Since 2013, every year the national tourist zone "Avaza" holds a training course "Caspian Sea – sustainable development and management". This event was organized by the Turkmen side together with the International Ocean Institute, which is a partner of the United Nations for all countries of the Caspian region.

Special issues of information publications devoted to the chairmanship of Turkmenistan in the international Fund for saving the Aral Sea and the first Caspian economic forum were also presented to the briefing participants, the State news Agency reports.