TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 28. Uzbekistan, the European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have signed a trilateral agreement of the development of a strategy for the management of hazardous chemical waste, Trend reports.
The trilateral document was signed by Deputy Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change Zhusipbek Kazbekov, Head of the European Union delegation to Uzbekistan Charlotte Adrian and Deputy Representative of FAO in Uzbekistan Sherzod Umarov.
As per Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, the project will be implemented by the Ministry of Ecology together with FAO with EU financial support in the period from 2023 to 2027.
Its completion is projected to strengthen the country's institutional capacity in the field of hazardous chemical management, allowing for the construction of a better hazardous waste database. It will also allow for the development of a National Waste Management Strategy and the gradual establishment of hazardous waste recycling facilities that meet appropriate criteria.
"This project is part of a large program to support the transition to a green economy, for which more than 10 million euros have been allocated. The cost of the project itself is almost 4 million euros. The idea is to expand the capabilities of the Ministry of Ecology in this area, as well as improve coordination in the field of hazardous chemicals and waste," Charlotte Adrian said.
FAO representative Sherzod Umarov added that the topic of managing hazardous waste is very relevant for Uzbekistan, as agriculture accounts for 27 percent of the country's GDP and in order to have good yields, Uzbekistan is actively engaged in the moderate use of chemicals, pesticides and the cultivation of agricultural products.