Green Central Asia Conference

«Enhancing environment, climate and water resilience”

On January 28, 2020, DKU Vice-rector for international cooperation, Ms. Barbara Janusz-Pawletta, took part in the conference which gave start to the «Green Central Asia» Strategy.

Green Central Asia is a regional initiative on climate and security in Central Asia (CA) and Afghanistan launched by the Federal Foreign Office. It is a part of a preventive and stabilizing foreign policy in the region and, to this end, is supporting the European Union’s strategy for Central Asia adopted in June 2019.

Climate change poses security risks in Central Asia and Afghanistan resulting in the faster melting of mountain glaciers, which makes a particularly severe impact on water, land and soils. This in turn has consequences for food security and affects migrant flows and the stability of the region as a whole.

Therefore, Green Central Asia is aimed at supporting the regional dialogue on climate change, fostering regional integration, and expansion of national expertise through scientific and civil institutes collaboration. This project is a continuation of the Water Initiative for Central Asia (also called Berlin process) aimed at supporting water management through enhanced trans-border cooperation.

The vice-rector of Kazakh-German University Ms. Barbara Janusz-Pawletta had the opportunity to present the IWRM master program to the distinguished participants and witness the signing of a joint declaration on cooperation in the field of climate and security between Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The conference was opened by the host of the event H.E. Mr Heiko Maas Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany and followed by the statement of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security H.E. Mr Josep Borrel.

The event included Panel discussion between the distinguished guests of academic and research spheres. Topics of the discussion:
Panel 1: Climate security risks and response capacities in Central Asia and Afghanistan moderated by Ms Caroline Milow, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Panel 2: Outlook «Green Central Asia” - Enhancing environment, climate and water resilience
The foreign ministers of Central Asian states participated in the Panel Discussion on the topic of «Climate change and Security — Challenges for Central Asia” sharing the knowledge and practices performed in tackling the issues of the region.

H.E. Mr. Mirwais Nab Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Cooperation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr Niels Annen Minister of State of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E. Mr Mukhtar Tileuberdi Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr Chingiz Aidarbekov Foreign Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Mr Sirojiddin Muhriddin Foreign Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Mr Rashid Meredov Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, H.E. Mr Abdulaziz Kamilov Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the discussion moderated by Prof. Dr. Johan Rockström from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

The conference resulted in the Signing of Joint Declaration on cooperation in the field of climate and security between CA states.
Photo taken by www.inform.kz