The Regional Working Group of ICSD*met again to amend and supplement the REP4SD-CA*. SLU-CA, in collaboration with UNEP*, supported this meeting, the purpose of which was to finalise the draft document of the REP4SD-CA.
REP4SD-CA will be the first document of its kind, integrating national priorities with the implementation of SDGs*, major international obligations in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development. Once the ICSD Chairman consents to the final draft of the document with all Central Asian countries, the ICSD will introduce it in this year’s upcoming October meeting, which will be held in October this year in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It is expected that the draft will be approved with the participation of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirzoyev and the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Afterward, the document will be sent to the Board of IFAS, to be approved by the end of 2019.
*Abbreviations/Explanation:
ICSD – Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development was established in 1994 by a Decision of the Interstate Council for the Aral Sea. The main purpose of the Commission is to coordinate and manage regional cooperation on environment and sustainable development in countries of Central Asia, to ensure development of proposals to determine the priorities of the basin and conduct research and development work aimed at environmental rehabilitation of the Aral Sea region.
REP4SD-CA – Regional Environmental Programme for Sustainable Development in Central Asia.Under the auspices of ICSD and with support by UNEP, the Regional Environmental Action Plan (REAP) was developed and agreed by the Central Asia countries in 2003-2004. The Regional Environmental Action Plan is the key specific work programme for the ICSD activities.The national processes for developing the new REAP (from now on called REP4SD) have started in April 2018. At regional level, development of REP4SD is supported and coordinated by GIZ regional programme for sustainable land use.
UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme established in 1972, addresses environmental issues at the global and regional level for the United Nations. UNEP’s mission is “to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.”
SDGs – Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for the year 2030.
