Overcoming the challenges posed by the declining level of the Caspian Sea requires close cooperation among the five littoral states, President of the International Turkic Academy Shahin Mustafayev said at a special joint session held within the 3rd High-Level Meeting of International Organizations and the 6th Ministerial Meeting under the Baku Process, Report informs.
He noted that the drop in the Caspian Sea's water level causes concern due to its negative impact on the environment, biodiversity, economic activities, and the living conditions of local communities.
"To overcome this challenge, the main condition is close cooperation among the five Caspian states – Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. Environmental challenges require the exchange of scientific knowledge, policy coordination, and a sense of shared responsibility for our common natural heritage," Mustafayev said.
He emphasized that the Caspian Sea has for centuries united peoples, cultures, and civilizations.
"We can strengthen mutual understanding while promoting practical responses to environmental challenges. The Caspian Sea must serve as a unifying factor for the Caspian states, both in terms of geography and history, as well as in matters of responsibility for its future," the academy president concluded.