In Central Asian countries, natural resource management is strongly centralized, which requires creating additional opportunities for involving the private sector and local people in the dialogue on the sustainable use of these resources taking into account economic, social and environmental aspects.
At the regional level, starting from 2017, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been providing expert support in the development of the Regional Environmental Program for Sustainable Development in Central Asia (REPSD CA), important for all five countries. Together with other international partners, such as the United Nations Environment Program, GIZ supported technical meetings, meetings of national working groups and the regional working group (1st: December 2018 in Almaty; 2nd April 2019 in Tashkent; 3rd April 2019 in Almaty).
The meetings helped to reveal the national priorities of each of the countries participating in the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (ICSD). Only those topics that were of interest to two or more countries were submitted for discussion by the regional working group in order to ensure the regional nature of meetings. Numerous remote and personal discussions made it was possible to reach a consensus of the parties and to prepare draft REPSD CA, which was adopted in October 2019.
The regional cooperation of the GIZ Program with the ICSD Scientific Information Center was established in January 2016. The Program team assisted in the development of a systematic organizational process to strengthen the overall management and role of the ICSD among the founding countries; the capacity of ICSD bodies; the information policy and the workflowsystem, mechanisms and tools of external and internal communication; providing technical assistance to SIC branches according to their needs.
In 2014, Bishkek hosted the Practitioners’ Conference on Advancement of Sustainable Pasture Management in Central Asia. The purpose of this event for politicians and practitioners from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and international experts was to exchange experience and knowledge and join efforts to promote reforms in the pasture sector. Representatives of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan had the opportunity to learn about international experience and the experience of their Kyrgyz and Tajik colleagues.
Conference participants were provided with innovative tools and approaches to managing
grazing lands, as well as proven mechanisms and processes. The program of the event included a field visit to one of the pasture committees in Chui oblast.
Some of the Important outcomes of the conference were the exchange of experience and knowledge, discussion of further actions and documentation of best practices and approaches. In addition to that, the results of the conference, an overview of the situation in the countries of the Central Asian region, analysis, comments and recommendations were included in the brochure “Sustainable Pasture Management in Central Asia”.
Field visits in Central Asia and study tours abroad help the exchange of experience and continuous training of practitioners and decision makers. Specifically, over the course of several years, long-term and short-term exchange visits were organized between representatives of the forestry services of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Besides, the Program conducted regional events such as:
- International round table “Sustainable Use and Conservation of Wild Animals in Tajikistan” (Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 2-3 November 2016)
- International Conference on Natural Capital for the Transition to a Green Economy (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 30 June – 1 July 2016)
- International Conference on Sustainable Wildlife Management in Central Asia: Practical Experience and Next Steps (September 1-3, 2015 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan)
- International Conference “Ecosystem-Based Approach to Adaptation to Climate Change in Central Asia” (Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 9 April 2015)
These events help specialists to learn about the features and advantages of various natural resource management systems and establish long-term cooperation.