President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev sent a welcoming message to participants of the 29th Eurasian Economic Summit in Istanbul, focusing on climate challenges, water resource scarcity, and the need for international cooperation to address environmental issues.
In his address, the head of state noted that Central Asia is experiencing the consequences of climate change more acutely than many other regions. According to him, warming rates here exceed global averages, leading to accelerated glacier melting and land degradation.
The president emphasized that in response to these challenges, Uzbekistan is accelerating its transition to a green development model. The country has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2035, having already achieved a 35% reduction. One of the key environmental projects is the Green Space program, under which 200 million trees are planted annually. Simultaneously, protective forest belts are being created on the dried bed of the Aral Sea.
Mirziyoyev specifically addressed water use efficiency. He noted that the introduction of water-saving technologies has become a strategic priority for the republic, already saving significant volumes of resources each year.
In this context, the president invited the international community to participate in the Global Environment Facility Assembly in Samarkand and the World Water Conservation Forum, where joint approaches to overcoming the water crisis are planned to be discussed.
Beyond the environmental agenda, Mirziyoyev praised Turkey's role as an influential player on the world stage. He emphasized that thanks to the efforts of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, relations between Tashkent and Ankara have reached the level of comprehensive strategic partnership. In the president's view, Istanbul's symbolism as a bridge between Europe and Asia perfectly aligns with the summit's goals—strengthening trust and expanding multilateral cooperation for the well-being of future generations.
Concluding, Mirziyoyev stressed that only by uniting the efforts of states, businesses, and international institutions can global challenges be effectively addressed and a sustainable future ensured for the next generations.
Source: podrobno.uz