Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Join Forces to Protect Wildlife on Ustyurt Plateau
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have embarked on a collaborative effort to safeguard the wildlife of the Ustyurt Plateau, as announced by the press service of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change.
During the CMS COP14 Plenary meeting in Samarkand, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, and Nurken Sharbiev, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan.
The memorandum aims to establish a working group and develop a Roadmap of Actions to ensure the conservation of transboundary populations of wild animals and migratory species on the Ustyurt Plateau.
Key provisions of the document include coordinated monitoring, research, and inventory of migratory species, as well as the creation of trans-border protected areas and migration corridors. Additionally, the memorandum explores opportunities for sustainable use of wildlife resources and the development of ecotourism.
The agreement underscores the commitment of Central Asian countries to preserve the transnational World Natural Heritage site “Turanian Temperate Deserts,” listed in 2023.
