On July 23, 2024, as part of the global initiatives of the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mr. Emomali Rahmon, to declare May 24 “International Markhor Day”, a side event was held at the UN headquarters in New York on the topic “ Protection of markhor: strategies and success stories” with the participation of the Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Sherlizoda Bahodur, at a panel session.
The event was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to engage stakeholders in raising awareness, promoting collaboration, improving actions to protect the markhor and its habitat, and acknowledging the importance of national and regional initiatives meant to foster cooperation to mobilize support for ongoing conservation efforts.
During his speech, the Chairman of the Environmental Protection Committee highlighted the significance of the UN General Assembly’s Resolution on International Day of the Markhor, which was initiated by the Founder of National Peace and Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, on declaring May 24 as “International Day of the Markhor”.
It was noted, despite challenges, Tajikistan has successfully increased the Markhor population from 700 in the 1990s to over 6,000 in 2022 through the establishment of reserves, conducting specific measures as well as awareness campaigns. Moreover, the Chairman of the Environmental Protection Committee invited those present to participate in the 9th World Conference on Mountain Ungulates (9WCMU) to be held on 12-15 October 2024 in Dushanbe.
At this event, the permanent representatives of Pakistan, Uzbekistan to the UN, the permanent observer of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to the UN, the Director, of the UNEP New York Office, and other representatives of the member countries spoke and commended the initiative of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon declaring May 24 as “International Day of the Markhor”.
The importance of holding such an event on the protection of the Markhor, and recognition of national and regional initiatives that are already being implemented was highly appreciated. In this context, the unique experience of our country in the protection and conservation of the markhor was mentioned, and it was called to be used in other countries of the range of this unique animal.
http://tajnature.tj/en/news/all_news/participation-of-the-committee-chair-in-a-side-event-on-markhor-conservation-strategies-and-success-/
