On March 22 - 24, the UN Water Conference was held at the UN Headquarters in New York. Among the 198 member countries of the organization, Uzbekistan’s delegation raised the issue of the Aral Sea crisis (The Paper). On March 23, at the high-level plenary session of the conference, a member of the Uzbekistan delegation, Saida Mirziyoyeva, addressed the UN conference and delivered a speech about the consequences of the Aral tragedy, the large-scale work carried out by Uzbekistan to mitigate them, as well as the leadership of the country in uniting international efforts in this direction. She called on the international community to continue supporting Uzbekistan’s Aral Sea ecological restoration efforts and said that “Aral Sea governance is becoming a symbol of hope for the global environment”. It was emphasized that the initiatives put forward by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received wide support at the international level, and in 2021 a UN Resolution was adopted declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies, while earlier in 2018, the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea region was established. Speaking about the measures implemented by the state, the speaker noted that more than US$14 million has been allocated for the implementation of projects aimed at reviving the region. “The crisis of the Aral Sea is a devastating reminder of the consequences of human environmental neglect. However, thanks to the efforts of caring people, it is now becoming a symbol of hope and renewal”, Mirziyoyeva said.

      On March 25, a cargo train carrying goods such as auto spare parts and clothing items departed for Kazakhstan’s Kostanay from Dingxi City, northwest China’s Gansu Province. This marks the first international freight service launched in Dingxi to a Central Asian country (CNR). With its cargo valued at nearly US$ 3 million, the train is expected to arrive in Kostanay in 9 days. The service inaugurated the new land route for Dingxi’s economic trade with Central Asia and Europe.

     On March 25, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had a telephone conversation with the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (Sina). During the conversation, the two sides discussed the prospects for further strengthening of bilateral cooperation in trade, economic, investment, and humanitarian fields. Special attention was paid to the effective implementation of the agreements reached following Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s state visit to Astana in October last year. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the dynamics of mutual trade and implementation of investment projects.