Nairobib — Within the framework of the “Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Year of Ecology” announced by the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan in the SCO Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan jointly with the SCO and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) secretariats organized an SCO-UNEP side-event on the theme “One planet, one Future: joining forces for environmental sustainability” on the sidelines of the Assembly.

The side-event was organized to discuss the prospects for expanding cooperation with UNEP in the field of environmental protection, which was attended by delegations from all SCO member States, SCO and UNEP secretariats.

During the event, Zulfiya Suleimenova, Adviser to the President of Kazakhstan – Special Representative of the President for International Environmental Cooperation, as a representative of the SCO Chairman’s country and moderator of the event, drew the attention of the participants to the need to pay special attention to the environmental challenges of the SCO member states. In her opinion, “climate change is one of the main challenges to humanity, and the fight against its consequences is the responsibility of the entire world community.”

SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming stressed that the SCO pays priority attention to cooperation with UNEP in the field of environmental protection, environmental safety and climate change. He expressed strong appreciation for President Tokayev’s announcement of the declaration of 2024 as the “Year of Ecology in the SCO.” This initiative, part of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the organization, includes establishing a partnership between the SCO and UNEP.

In order to establish cooperation, SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme Inger Andersen signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the SCO Secretary and UNEP. This document provides for the development of cooperation between the two organizations in matters of conservation of biological diversity, disaster management, adaptation to climate change, scientific and technical cooperation, reduction of environmental pollution, promotion of sustainable development and promotion of eco-tourism.