Aral Sea ecology to be discussed at international level in Turkmenistan

The 'Ecology of the Aral Sea: sustainable development and international cooperation' conference with the participation of the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), delegations from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will be held in Dashoguz on March 27-28, the Nature Protection Ministry of Turkmenistan reported.

Representatives of the UN, World Bank, European Union and other international and regional organisations are scheduled to participate.

The agenda includes discussion of issues of regional environmental policy in several key sectors. It is the ecology of the Aral Sea, the prevention of desertification processes, protection of biodiversity and environment in the region through forestation and sustainable management of water resources in the Aral Sea region.

The main goal of the conference is to draw international attention to the state of the ecosystem of the Aral Sea. It is also planned to jointly develop new approaches and methods of improving the current situation.

From the General Assembly tribune, Ashgabat previously called for the creation of a special international expert group which in collaboration with the UN and its agencies could develop a comprehensive international legal document to save the Aral Sea.

In order to stabilise the ecological situation in Turkmenistan, work was conducted to reconstruct interstate collectors Ozerny and Daryalyk in Dashoguz, as well as construct the main Shasenem collector.

As the Nature Protection Ministry of Turkmenistan said, the country's major contribution in addressing ecological problems of the Aral Sea is the construction of the Turkmen Lake Altyn Asyr.