On June 12, 2024, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of IFAS, A. Orazbay, held a series of meetings during the 3rd High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development" 2018-2028 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
During the meeting with the Special Representative of the European Union for Central Asia, Terhi Hakala, issues regarding the enhancement of cooperation between EU countries and IFAS were discussed. This cooperation is aimed at the implementation of projects from the Fund's medium-term documents up to 2030 – the Aral Sea Basin Program (ASBP-4) and the Regional Environmental Protection Program for Sustainable Development of Central Asian Countries (REP4SD CA). An agreement was reached on closer coordination of work and the expansion of partnership.
Additionally, A. Orazbay held a meeting with the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Dmitry Mariyasin, where they discussed current issues of strengthening cooperation between the two organizations. D. Mariyasin thanked the Kazakh side for its active participation in the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes and congratulated them on the beginning of Kazakhstan's chairmanship in the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea.
Both parties expressed confidence in the possibility of strengthening cooperation and exploring options for launching new projects to address the problems in the Aral Sea basin countries, including in coordination with other international partners.
