TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 4. On the sidelines of the Samarkand Climate Forum, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Ibrahim Thiaw, UN Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Trend reports.
During the meeting, Ibrahim Thiaw conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the President of Uzbekistan.
The sides discussed the important issues surrounding the further development of cooperation in the areas of combating desertification and land degradation in Uzbekistan and the region. Ibrahim Thiaw commended the President’s speech at the forum, noting the relevance of the initiatives proposed by Uzbekistan to address climate challenges and the timely introduction of the green development concept for Central Asia.
The meeting also highlighted the approval by the UN General Assembly in August of last year for the Uzbekistan-initiated resolution on forest restoration, as well as the beginning of the development of national goals to prevent land degradation.
Furthermore, the parties agreed to involve experts from the Convention in creating an International Scientific Network to combat land degradation and desertification, which will be based at the Green University in Tashkent. This collaboration is expected to play a significant role in advancing scientific research and practical solutions to combat land degradation and desertification in Central Asia.