DUSHANBE, 15.09.2023 (NIAT Khovar) – On September 15, the Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea was held in the Palace of the Nation.

The Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Honorable Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of Turkmenistan, Honorable Serdar Berdimuhamedow, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Honorable Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Honorable Adilbek Kasymaliev and the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations — Head of the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia, Mr. Kaha Imnadze participated in the meeting of the Council.

After the joint photo ceremony, the Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea continued with the participation of delegations of governments and international experts.

During the meeting, a series of critical issues of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, including the results of the Chairmanship of the Republic of Tajikistan in this institution, improvement of the organizational structure and the contractual and legal basis of the Fund were considered, and future directions of joint activity were identified and specified while taking measures in these areas.

The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, warmly greeted the heads and representatives of the founding states of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the guests of the event and discussed the results of Tajikistan’s presidency.

It was emphasized that the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea plays an important role in strengthening cooperation of the countries of the region in solving complex water and ecological issues. Significant results have been achieved within the framework of this institution, which have contributed to the economic and social development of Central Asia, strengthening of regional cooperation, as well as the establishment and expansion of bilateral and multilateral relations in this direction.

Heads and representatives of the founding states of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea gave a positive assessment to the chairmanship of the Republic of Tajikistan and thanked the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon for the high level of organization, sincere reception and hospitality.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia delivered the message of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the participants.

According to the results of the meeting, the decisions of the Council of the Heads of Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, as well as the Dushanbe Declaration, were signed.

At the end of the Meeting of the Council of Heads of Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Fund held a press conference on the results of the meeting for a wide range of domestic and foreign reporters.