Tashkent hosted the EU-Central Asia Young Leaders’ Conference: Shifting the Paradigm for Sustainable Water Action on October 30-31, 2024.
The conference was organized by the EU Special Representative for Central Asia and the Nordic International University in cooperation with the Youth Agency and the UzReportTV news agency.
Supporting the implementation of the EU roadmap on important water management and people-to-people interactions, the conference brought together over 100 participants from five Central Asian countries. Participants, including young people, represented youth initiatives, civil society organizations, researchers, media, young politicians, as well as government experts.
Opening remarks were made by the Minister of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Khamraev, and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan Kongratbay Sharipov. The Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) Zafar Makhmudov also had a floor with representatives of the EU delegation and other international organizations.
The conference provided an opportunity to engage young leaders of Central Asia in regional cooperation and promote their voices and participation in implementing the EU-CA agenda, with a special focus on sustainable water action. Thus, the conference will strengthen regional dialogue and partnership in Central Asia and other regions and increase the public presence and visibility of the EU by strengthening understanding of EU actions to promote climate resilience and water management.
High-level panel discussions and two thematic sessions on EU-CA cooperation in sustainable water action and the role of youth in addressing the water crisis in Central Asia were held. In addition, the conference included several interactive workshops where participants discussed water topics of mutual interest, such as water efficiency, water conservation and water diplomacy. A field trip to the experimental field of the National Research University “Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers” was also organized, which allowed participants to gain practical experience.
This conference should become a platform for young leaders of Central Asia to voice their views on water issues and promote cooperation and exchange of ideas in various fields.
Additional information:
Jahongir Azizov, Director of the CAREC Country Office in the Republic of Uzbekistan, uzbekistan@carececo.org
