At the Regional Ecological Summit in Astana, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, proposed the establishment of a regional centre for climate technologies, as well as a centre to combat desertification for the countries of Central Asia. This was reported by the online publication ‘Business Turkmenistan’.

The Head of State emphasised the importance of taking into account the region’s cultural traditions and centuries-old experience of treating nature with care when addressing environmental challenges. According to the President of Turkmenistan, discussing the environmental agenda at such a high level demonstrates the region’s countries’ readiness for more systematic cooperation in the field of climate and sustainable development.

Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted that the states face common challenges: climate change, water scarcity, land degradation, desertification, loss of biodiversity and rising environmental migration. In this context, he called for enhanced coordination between countries and expanded cooperation with the UN and its agencies.

Separately, the President of Turkmenistan touched upon the issue of the Aral Sea, expressing hope for the adoption of joint decisions within the framework of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea.