DUSHANBE, 03.05.2024 /NIAT Khovar/. On May 2, 2024, another initiative of the Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, the proclamation of the «International Day of the Markhor» through the relevant resolution was adopted unanimously by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The resolution recognizes the urgent need to address the unprecedented global decline in biodiversity, emphasizing the preservation of the Markhor and its natural habitat as an ecological imperative. The resolution also underscores the significance of international and regional cooperation in conserving the Markhor, recognizing national and regional initiatives already underway.

With the adoption of this resolution, May 24 was declared the International Day of the Markhor.

It also takes note of the upcoming, Ninth World Conference on Mountain Ungulates, to be held in Dushanbe from 12 to 15 October 2024.

The Markhor (Capra falconeri) is an iconic and ecologically significant species found across the mountainous regions of Central Asia and South Asia, including Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The Markhor plays a crucial role in ecosystems, biodiversity, and tourism of the local economies, and understanding its conservation at the global level is important, considering that this species is on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.