Central Asian countries approve Astana Declaration of Ecological Solidarity for Aral Sea

Astana, Apr 22 (EFE).- The five Central Asian republics on Wednesday approved the Astana Declaration of Ecological Solidarity, with a particular focus on combating the desertification of the Aral Sea, which has undergone dramatic shrinkage since the mid-20th century.

“The adoption of the Astana Declaration of Ecological Solidarity in Central Asia reflects the strengthening of environmental partnership,” Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, host of the Regional Ecological Summit held in the Kazakh capital, said.

The leader outlined the region’s main environmental challenges, placing special emphasis on water security and the examples of the Aral and Caspian seas.

“The Aral Sea constantly reminds us of the consequences of irrational policies, as well as what can be achieved through decisive, science-based action,” he said.

The sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, lost 80% of its volume between 1960 and 2010 due to uncontrolled irrigation, which drained the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers, and the intensive Soviet agricultural policy focused on cultivating “white gold,” cotton.

Once the fourth-largest inland sea in the world, it is now virtually a dead ecosystem, as the water's salt concentration has tripled over the last fifty years.

Tokayev said that about 36% of the northern part of the sea has now been restored, “improving water quality, increasing fish populations, and raising people’s standard of living.”

The head of state noted that Kazakhstan has planted more than 1.5 billion trees across one million hectares over the past five years.

This initiative includes planting saxaul—an indigenous shrub of Central Asia’s arid regions—on the dried seabed of the Aral Sea to curb desertification. This project also involves specialists from Uzbekistan.

Regarding the conservation of the Caspian Sea, Tokayev called on all interested international organizations, including the United Nations, to support efforts to preserve it.

He recalled that Kazakhstan has launched an interstate program to prevent further deterioration of the Caspian and created a research institute for the sea to promote regional scientific cooperation.

“Protecting the Caspian Sea is vital to maintaining ecological balance, biodiversity, and the region’s sustainable development,” he said, calling for “any military action in the region to be ruled out and prohibited,” in reference to the war in Iran, which has turned the Caspian into a theater of military operations.

The Astana Declaration also includes a provision for the creation of a regional digital ecosystem that will leverage the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to protect natural resources and improve environmental monitoring. EFE

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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev speaking at the Central Asia Regional Ecological Summit held in the Kazakh capital. EFE/Presidency of Kazakhstan / FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY / AVAILABLE ONLY TO ILLUSTRATE THE ACCOMPANYING NEWS STORY (MANDATORY CREDIT)