Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan to jointly improve ecological situation in Aral Sea basin

Signed on December 22, 2022, as part of the Kazakh President’s visit to Uzbekistan, the document aims at expanding the bilateral cooperation with the neighboring country in a number of areas, senator Olga Bulavkina said.

The first area is the organization of joint events to improve the ecological situation in the Aral Sea basin. According to the senator this will enable to coordinate the actions of the Kazakh and Uzbek sides to contain sand and salt storms.

The second area is the interaction in terms of governmental control over transboundary movement of hazardous waste and its disposal. Olga Bulavkina reminded of the Kazakh Government’s Decree dated  March 17, 2022, on approval of the Rules for the import, export and transit of hazardous and other waste into the country.

The third direction is the coordination of measures to protect migratory species of animals, as well as  species living in the territories of the two states, including saigas, goitered gazelle and argali. The sides are set to combat illegal hunting and trade, develop regulations to integrate biodiversity and migratory species conservation policies into the national energy and climate policies.

The fourth area is the protection of ecosystems from degradation and prevention of sand storms.

The Agreement also includes a number of events on prevention and control over air, water pollution, solid household and hazardous waste, monitoring over the state and protection of environment, as well as creation of a working mechanism of mutual notification about the emergency situations.

The sides plan to hold joint conferences and meetings on scientific and research activity, and launch joint educational programs. Apart from that, the Agreement provides for establishment of the Kazakh-Uzbek Joint Commission on Cooperation in Environmental Protection.