BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 23. Azerbaijan welcomes the initiative by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to develop a program for the preservation of the Caspian Sea's water resources, said the Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Climate Issues, President of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev, at the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 in Astana,TurkicWorld reports
"We welcome the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the development of the Intergovernmental Programme on the Preservation of Water Resources of the Caspian Sea. We are grateful for UNEP's cooperation, but we need the whole UN system to be involved, as well as international financial institutions, donors, and expertise to engage in this challenge. This support is vital for the future of our region and the stability and prosperity worldwide", he said.
Babayev noted that Azerbaijan will work alongside its neighbours to continue advancing this issue on the global agenda and will stand up for Caspian communities.
"We will not let this growing crisis be ignored, and we invite all our partners, all littoral states, and international organizations to stop talking and start actions" he said.
Meanwhile, speaking at the opening of the summit the previous day, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that Kazakhstan had initiated an interstate program to prevent further degradation of the Caspian Sea and established the Caspian Sea Research Institute to develop regional scientific cooperation.
