Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 24-25 October, in Nukus, under the auspices of the UN, the International Conference “Aral Sea Area - Zone of Environmental Innovations and Technologies” was held.

The Uzbek side was attended by deputies of the Senate and the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, senior representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, the leadership of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Finance, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as relevant ministries and departments.

The Secretary General of the United Nations António Guterres also addressed the participants of the event with his video message, noting the extreme importance of the event for developing the economic potential of the region and joining forces to restore the ecological balance.

The conference program included a plenary session, four thematic sessions, as well as a regular meeting of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development, during which the chairmanship of the commission passed from Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan.

During the event, perspective project proposals of Uzbekistan on the integrated development of the Aral Sea region were also presented, including through the introduction of innovative environmental developments and technologies.

Particular attention was paid to the discussion of measures taken to improve public health and strengthen the health care system in Karakalpakstan, both at the level of early detection and prevention, and treatment of socially significant diseases. In this context, information was voiced on projects and initiatives being worked out jointly with foreign partners: the construction of a multidisciplinary hospital for the population of the most affected northern regions of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and a clinic for maternal and child health in Nukus with the support of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, modernization and equipment maternity hospitals and primary health care services with public and private funding from South Korea, Sweden, G Germany and Finland. Also, readiness to consider opportunities for co-financing these projects was expressed by the management of the European Investment Bank.

As a result of the conference, a Communique was adopted in which the basic principles and directions for further cooperation of the participants in the commission for the restoration of the Aral Sea region were spelled out.