During the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20) in Samarkand, a meeting took place between Aziz Abdukhakimov, Adviser to the President on Ecology and Chair of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, and Amna bint Abdullah Al-Dahak Al Shamsi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Member of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The parties discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in nature conservation, sustainable ecosystem management, and the protection of rare species. Minister Amna Al-Dahak conveyed her sincere congratulations on the opening in Uzbekistan of a regional center established jointly with the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. She emphasized that the Emirates highly value this step as an important scientific and practical contribution to the development of environmental monitoring in Central Asia.
The UAE also expressed readiness to advance cooperation with China in the development and sustainable use of desert territories under the concept of a “desert economy,” as well as to build trilateral partnership formats that include Uzbekistan.
Special attention during the meeting was given to the conservation of birds of prey and the improvement of monitoring mechanisms. Amna Al-Dahak called for supporting the UAE’s initiatives on registering and digitally identifying falcons, including the introduction of a digital passport system. According to her, such measures would strengthen control over the movement of rare species and expand international cooperation within the CITES framework.
Abdukhakimov expressed interest in further expanding cooperation with the Emirates and noted the importance of knowledge exchange amid the region’s growing environmental challenges.
