Turkmenbashi hosts expanded meeting of Caspian Environmental Summit

An expanded meeting of the Caspian Environmental Summit was held in the city of Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, on October 9.

According to Report's correspondent in Turkmenistan, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the event.

President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov said:

"I would like to give the floor to the respected President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Mr. Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev. Please."

President Ilham Aliyev addressed the meeting.

Speech by President Ilham Aliyev

-Distinguished Serdar Gurbangulyevich,

Distinguished heads of state,

Distinguished summit participants,

First of all, I express my gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan for the initiative to hold the Caspian Environmental Summit. I am confident that the summit will contribute to strengthening our cooperation in addressing the environmental challenges facing the Caspian Sea.

For centuries, the Caspian has united our countries and peoples. Today, its economic and strategic importance is growing even further. Key transport and energy routes pass through the Caspian, and major international projects are being implemented. Under these conditions, it is fundamentally important to preserve the Caspian as a zone of peace, stability, and constructive partnership. This serves the interests of all littoral states and creates the necessary conditions for the further development of our cooperation.

At the same time, special attention must be devoted to its ecological state. Preserving the unique ecosystem of the Caspian is a common task for all littoral states. Over the past years, our countries have established an extensive legal framework. Azerbaijan is a party to virtually all five-party international legal instruments. The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, signed in 2018, is of historic significance. It was the result of many years of joint efforts by the five littoral states.

One of the most serious problems facing the Caspian is undoubtedly its shallowing. The decline in the water level of the Caspian Sea has been ongoing for many years. Regrettably, this process has accelerated noticeably in recent times, and the situation continues to deteriorate. A substantial reduction in the sea's surface area is being observed. Its total surface area has already decreased by more than 20,000 square kilometers. If the current trend continues, the consequences could be catastrophic. The problem of shallowing has implications beyond the environment. The decline in sea level directly affects the interests of our states, impacting the lives of people in coastal areas, the economy, and transport. We see the shoreline receding, the ecosystem changing, and operational difficulties arising for ports and other coastal infrastructure facilities. As a result of the decline in the Caspian Sea level, nearly 30,000 hectares of dry land have formed in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian alone.

Back in 2022, at the Sixth Caspian Summit in Ashgabat, in the context of the Caspian Sea's shallowing, I proposed establishing special expert groups to identify the causes of this process and determine measures to prevent further declines in the sea level. The intervening years have confirmed the relevance of this initiative. We need to move from general discussions of the problem to establishing a permanent mechanism for cooperation and monitoring the implementation of adopted decisions. First and foremost, we must identify the full range of factors influencing the decline in the Caspian Sea level and obtain an objective scientific assessment of future developments.

It is evident that the decline in the Caspian Sea level is connected not only with climate change. One of the main reasons is the reduction in river inflow, along with anthropogenic factors associated with economic activity. At the same time, it is necessary to assess the possible long-term consequences of the ongoing changes and take them into account in decision-making today. Such an approach will allow timely measures to be taken to minimize the impact of further declines in the sea level. We believe that the necessary legal framework, scientific potential, and experience of interaction provide a solid foundation for achieving concrete practical results. The Caspian is our common heritage. Preserving its unique ecosystem and passing it on to future generations is our shared responsibility. I hope that today's summit will mark an important step on this path.

Thank you for your attention.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov: Thank you very much, respected Ilham Heydarovich. I thank you for your insightful address. As is the case for brotherly Azerbaijan, improving the ecological condition of the Caspian Sea is among the top priorities of Turkmenistan's domestic and foreign policy. We stand ready to continue cooperation with our partners across the full spectrum of the Caspian environmental agenda.

Once again, I thank you for your constructive speech.

14:00

An expanded-format meeting of the Caspian Environmental Summit was held in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, on October 9.

According to Report's correspondent in Turkmenistan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the event.

13:33

An expanded-format meeting of the Caspian Environmental Summit is being held in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan, on October 9.

According to Report's correspondent in Turkmenistan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed the event.