AGP Executive Report

Water Security & Climate Adaptation: Tajikistan and the Asian Development Bank discussed modernizing the Tajik Sea (Kayrakkum) reservoir, including stronger protective dams, upgraded pumping stations, irrigation and drainage improvements, and a digital monitoring system to cut flood risks and handle transboundary water pressures. Regional Cooperation on Afghanistan: EU and Central Asian envoys met in Almaty with UN partners to coordinate approaches on Afghanistan, with a strong focus on stability, connectivity, and expanding transport and transit routes for trade between Central and South Asia and Europe. Sustainable Development via SCO: As the Shanghai Cooperation Organization marks 25 years, Central Asia’s role in the bloc’s “coordination” model is highlighted, with emphasis on moving beyond security toward sustainable development and shared prosperity. Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation: Uzbekistan’s ecology committee reports a regional push for wildlife protection and sustainable landscapes, spotlighting transboundary ecosystems and species like snow leopards, argali, and saiga. One Health in Central Asia: CAREC says Central Asia’s “One Health” consultations wrapped up, aiming to align regional pandemic prevention, food system sustainability, and ecosystem health ahead of a June 25 coordinating council meeting. Digital Economy Push (Tajikistan): A Dushanbe IT hub is framed as a step toward a knowledge-based economy, alongside rising e-payments and the need to expand internet access.

Water Security & Climate Adaptation: Tajikistan and the Asian Development Bank discussed modernizing the Tajik Sea (Kayrakkum) reservoir, including stronger protective dams, upgraded pumping, and irrigation/drainage improvements plus digital monitoring to cut flood risks and better manage water under climate change. Regional Cooperation on Water, Health & Ecosystems: Central Asia wrapped up online national consultations on “One Health” implementation, aiming to align pandemic prevention, food system resilience, and ecosystem health through a shared package of regional rules for the June 25 coordinating council meeting. Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation: Uzbekistan hosted a regional event on ecological corridors and sustainable landscapes for wildlife protection, highlighting transboundary mountain ecosystems and key species like snow leopards and saiga. Digital & Green Economy Push: A new analysis looks at Dushanbe’s Information Technology Center as a step toward a knowledge-based economy, noting progress in electronic payments but also the need to expand internet access. SCO 25 Years (Context for Tajikistan): Multiple pieces mark the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s 25th anniversary, stressing coordination and sustainable development beyond security—relevant as Tajikistan chairs major regional discussions.

SCO at 25: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization marks its 25th anniversary with a push to move beyond security into sustainable development, highlighting Central Asia as a “core” space for dialogue, trust-building, and shared regional plans. One Health in Central Asia: Central Asia wrapped up regional “One Health” consultations to finalize a strategic document package for pandemic prevention, food system resilience, and ecosystem health, with a new coordination secretariat set to support cross-border work. Wildlife & ecosystems: Uzbekistan hosted a regional push for wildlife conservation and sustainable landscapes, bringing together environment officials and UN partners to focus on transboundary ecosystems and species like snow leopards and saiga. Water & land cooperation: Central Asia’s Water–Land Nexus Programme (CAWLN) was officially launched at the GEF Assembly, aiming to tackle shrinking rivers, degraded soils, and climate-driven stress through coordinated regional action. Tajikistan glacier update: Tajikistan renamed Central Asia’s largest glacier, underscoring how fast-changing cryosphere conditions are reshaping regional climate and water planning. Digital push in Dushanbe: Tajikistan began construction on a major IT Hub in Dushanbe, including an AI center, as part of a broader shift toward a digital economy.

One Health in Central Asia: Central Asian countries wrapped up online national consultations to finalize a regional “One Health” package on pandemic prevention, food system resilience, and ecosystem health, setting up the June 25 meeting of the Regional Coordinating Council. Water & Land Resilience: At the GEF Assembly in Uzbekistan, the Central Asia Water and Land Nexus Programme (CAWLN) was highlighted as rivers shrink and soils degrade, pushing the region toward joint water and land management. Wildlife & Ecosystems: Uzbekistan hosted a mountain ecosystem and wildlife conservation push, with officials from across Central Asia backing a shared vision for protecting transboundary species and sustainable landscapes. Critical Minerals Push: Kazakhstan hosted the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue with the U.S., focusing on exploration, processing, and supply-chain integration ahead of Astana Mining & Metallurgy 2026. Tajikistan Glacier Update: Tajikistan renamed the world’s largest non-polar glacier, underscoring renewed attention on climate-linked cryosphere monitoring. Digital Economy in Dushanbe: Construction began on Tajikistan’s largest IT Hub in Dushanbe, including an AI center and IT business facilities aimed at boosting the knowledge economy. SCO at 25: Multiple reports marked the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s 25th anniversary, stressing coordination for sustainable development alongside security. Health & Nature Culture: India’s embassy events in Dushanbe and other countries promoted International Day of Yoga with a “harmony with nature” message.

SCO Spotlight: Central Asia’s role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is back in focus as officials in Dushanbe highlight how the bloc’s “coordination” strength helps members tackle problems they can’t solve alone, with the SCO’s 25-year push now framed around sustainable development, not just security. One Health in Action: Central Asia wrapped a regional round of consultations on “One Health,” aiming to align pandemic prevention, food system resilience, and ecosystem health through a shared package of strategic and regulatory documents ahead of the June 25 coordinating council meeting. Water & Land Resilience: The GEF has moved the Central Asia Water-Land Nexus Programme (CAWLN) into practical implementation, targeting integrated management of stressed rivers and degraded lands across five countries. Wildlife & Ecosystems: Central Asian governments signed a mountain ecosystem declaration at the GEF, linking wildlife protection with sustainable landscapes and transboundary ecological corridors. Digital Push in Tajikistan: Dushanbe’s new IT Hub project—an IT school, IT park, business center, and regional AI center—aims to accelerate a digital economy, with investment estimated at $100 million. Yoga & Nature Values: Tajikistan also hosted an International Day of Yoga build-up, with India’s Kirti Vardhan Singh promoting holistic health and “harmony with nature” in Dushanbe.

SCO at 25: A new perspective on the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s 25-year push argues its real strength is practical coordination among diverse states—an approach that matters as Central Asia faces shared, fast-moving risks. Tajikistan Glacier Renaming: Tajikistan has renamed its largest glacier (formerly Vanchiakh/Vanjyakh) as the “Tajikistan Glacier,” highlighting its role as a major freshwater reserve and linking the move to recent climate-cryosphere monitoring work. Water & Land Cooperation: The GEF has launched the Central Asia Water-Land Nexus (CAWLN) program across five countries to tackle shrinking rivers, land degradation, and climate-driven stress on water for about 60 million people. Wildlife & Ecosystems: Uzbekistan hosted a regional push for mountain ecosystem and wildlife conservation, with Tajikistan’s environmental authority among participants discussing shared transboundary species and landscapes. One Health in Central Asia: Central Asia concluded national consultations to finalize a regional “One Health” package focused on pandemic prevention, food system resilience, and ecosystem health. Digital Economy in Dushanbe: Tajikistan’s new Information Technology Center and a major IT Hub project aim to expand the digital economy—an indirect but important lever for greener, more efficient public services.

One Health in Central Asia: CAREC’s “One Health in Central Asia” national consultations wrapped up online (June 8–12), setting up a June 25 regional coordinating council meeting to align pandemic prevention, food system resilience, and ecosystem health across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Water & land cooperation: The GEF officially moved the Central Asia Water-Land Nexus (CAWLN) into implementation, backed by FAO, to tackle shrinking rivers and degraded lands affecting about 60 million people, with a focus on transboundary land-water management and better practices. Glacier spotlight in Tajikistan: Tajikistan renamed its largest glacier—Vanjyakh/Fedchenko—to the “Tajikistan Glacier,” and linked the move to ongoing climate and cryosphere monitoring efforts in the Pamirs. Wildlife & ecosystems: Uzbekistan’s ecology committee hosted a regional wildlife conservation and sustainable landscapes event, highlighting transboundary mountain ecosystems and key species like snow leopards and saiga. Climate finance in Dushanbe: Tajikistan will host the Green Climate Fund board meeting (June 25–July 2), seen as a boost for climate project support and green investment.

Water-Land Cooperation: The GEF has moved the Central Asia Water-Land Nexus (CAWLN) program into implementation, bringing Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan together to tackle shrinking rivers and degraded lands that affect about 60 million people. Wildlife & Ecosystems: Uzbekistan hosted a mountain ecosystem and wildlife conservation declaration at the GEF, with regional officials backing protection of transboundary habitats and species like snow leopard, argali and saiga. Cross-Border Land Restoration: CAREC released a RESILAND CA+ analytical report urging harmonized cross-border policies for degraded land restoration, biodiversity, wildfire prevention and sustainable natural resource use. Forests as Climate Infrastructure: CAREC also highlighted Uzbekistan’s new Forest Code draft, reframing forests as key climate resilience and water-security “green shield” infrastructure. Glacier Watch in Tajikistan: Tajikistan renamed its largest glacier to the “Tajikistan Glacier,” and linked the move to ongoing climate and cryosphere monitoring efforts in the Pamirs. Climate Finance: Tajikistan will host the Green Climate Fund’s 45th Governing Board meeting in Dushanbe (June 25–July 2), spotlighting climate action and glacier preservation.

Glacier Watch (Tajikistan): Tajikistan has renamed its largest glacier—formerly the Vanchiakh Glacier—now officially called the Tajikistan Glacier, a 77-kilometer, ~700-square-kilometer freshwater giant outside the polar regions, with new monitoring linked to the 2025 RECAP cryosphere project. Water & Land (Central Asia): The GEF CAWLN Water–Land Nexus program has moved into implementation, bringing five countries together to tackle shrinking rivers and degraded lands that threaten water security for about 60 million people. Climate Governance (Tajikistan): Tajikistan will host the 45th Green Climate Fund Board Meeting in Dushanbe (June 25–July 2), spotlighting climate finance and glacier and water protection priorities. Regional Health (One Health): A new One Health regional secretariat for pandemic prevention, food resilience, and ecosystem health is set to coordinate cross-border work on zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety. Digital Push (Dushanbe): Construction has begun on Tajikistan’s largest IT Hub in Dushanbe, including an AI center and IT park, with investment estimated at about $100 million.

Climate Action Architecture: Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC) is being built into a regular platform to turn NDC and NAP promises into coordinated regional action, tackling water, energy, land degradation and food security. Water-Land Security: The GEF-backed Central Asia Water and Land Nexus Programme (CAWLN) has moved into implementation, aiming to protect shrinking rivers and stressed soils that affect about 60 million people across the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins. Glacier Watch in Tajikistan: Tajikistan has renamed the Vanchiakh (Fedchenko) Glacier as the “Tajikistan Glacier,” highlighting its role as a key freshwater reserve and linking the name change to ongoing cryosphere monitoring efforts. Regional Water Quality Standards: CAREC’s Blue Peace Central Asia workshop in Shymkent focused on improving water quality assessment methods and lab practices, including risk-based approaches for surface water monitoring. One Health Coordination: A new One Health regional secretariat for pandemic prevention, food systems resilience and ecosystem health is set up to coordinate cross-border work on zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance and food safety. Green Climate Finance: Tajikistan will host the 45th Green Climate Fund board meeting in Dushanbe (June 25–July 2), with officials pointing to growing international support for water, climate and glacier protection. Critical Minerals, With a Twist: Kazakhstan’s C5+1 critical minerals dialogue with the U.S. emphasized not just extraction, but processing and supply-chain integration—an angle that matters for how mining impacts the region’s environment.

One Health for Central Asia: A new regional secretariat under the One Health for Pandemic Prevention, Food Systems Resilience, and Ecosystem Health program has been set up to coordinate cross-border work on zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Water & land under climate pressure: Central Asia’s five countries have moved forward with the GEF-funded Central Asia Water-Land Nexus (CAWLN) program, tackling shrinking rivers and degraded soils that threaten water for about 60 million people, with implementation led by FAO. Water quality standards: CAREC wrapped up a regional workshop in Shymkent to strengthen water-quality monitoring and risk-based assessment methods, including Tajikistan’s participation. Glacier protection spotlight: Tajikistan renamed its largest glacier—formerly Vanchiakh/Vanjyakh—now officially the Tajikistan Glacier, with past RECAP research aimed at long-term monitoring of climate and cryosphere change. Climate finance in Dushanbe: Tajikistan will host the 45th Green Climate Fund board meeting (June 25–July 2), signaling growing international support for climate action and glacier preservation. Critical minerals push: Kazakhstan hosted a C5+1 critical minerals dialogue with the U.S., focusing on exploration, processing, and sustainable access to strategic raw materials.

Water & Land Cooperation: Central Asia launched the GEF-funded Central Asia Water–Land Nexus Programme (CAWLN) in Samarkand, aiming to tackle shrinking rivers, land degradation and rising temperatures across five countries and protect water for about 60 million people. Glacier Watch (Tajikistan): Tajikistan renamed its largest glacier—formerly Vanchiakh/Vanjyakh—now officially the “Tajikistan Glacier,” highlighting its role as a key freshwater reserve and a focus of high-altitude climate monitoring. Water Quality Standards: A regional workshop in Shymkent brought Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and others together to improve surface water monitoring and develop risk-based water quality assessment methods. Climate Finance in Dushanbe: Tajikistan will host the 45th Green Climate Fund Governing Board meeting (June 25–July 2), with officials linking it to glacier protection, water and climate action and new green investment. Wildlife Conservation: Central Asian states agreed to jointly preserve the snow leopard and strengthen mountain ecosystem resilience through a regional GEF biodiversity vision. Channel Crossing Sentences (Environment angle via safety): In the UK, two pilots were jailed under a new offence for endangering lives at sea during Channel crossings—an issue that also raises concerns about migrant safety and rescue readiness.

Water & Land Security: The GEF has moved the Central Asia Water-Land Nexus (CAWLN) from planning to implementation, bringing Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan together to protect river basins that supply about 60 million people as climate stress and land degradation worsen. Glacier Watch: Tajikistan has renamed its largest glacier—formerly Vanchiakh/Vanjyakh—now officially the Tajikistan Glacier (Fedchenko), with new monitoring efforts tied to the RECAP project to track glacier retreat and future freshwater impacts. Water Quality Standards: A regional workshop in Shymkent focused on harmonizing water quality assessment methods and lab practices, building groundwork for risk-based surface water monitoring across Central Asia. Climate Finance in Dushanbe: Tajikistan will host the Green Climate Fund’s 45th Governing Board meeting in late June, with officials saying it will boost climate project cooperation and green investment. Biodiversity Cooperation: Central Asian countries agreed to jointly preserve the snow leopard and strengthen mountain ecosystem resilience, including plans for ecological corridors and wildlife monitoring. Environment & Connectivity: Tajikistan is also advancing telecom modernization and border logistics plans with EBRD support, aiming to improve regional connectivity.

Water Standards & Labs: A CAREC workshop in Shymkent (June 3–4) focused on improving regional water quality monitoring and building a flexible, risk-based approach for surface water assessment. Glacier Naming in Tajikistan: Tajikistan has renamed the Vanchiakh/Fedchenko glacier as the “Tajikistan Glacier,” highlighting its 77 km length, ~700 sq km area, and role as a key freshwater reserve; 2025 RECAP research installed high-altitude monitoring to track climate-driven glacier retreat. Climate Finance in Dushanbe: Tajikistan will host the 45th Green Climate Fund Governing Board meeting (June 25–July 2), with officials linking it to stronger climate action, water and glacier protection, and new green investment. Regional Water-Land Cooperation: The Central Asia Water-Land Nexus programme moved into implementation under GEF/FAO, bringing five countries together to tackle mounting pressure on rivers, wetlands, and mountain ecosystems that support ~60 million people. SCO Focus on Sustainable Development: On SCO’s 25th anniversary, coverage highlights the bloc’s shift beyond security toward practical sustainability work like irrigation upgrades, skills training, and connectivity. Snow Leopard Conservation: Central Asian states agreed on joint efforts to conserve snow leopards and other transboundary wildlife, plus mountain ecosystem resilience, under the GEF-9 cycle.

CTBT Anniversary Diplomacy: Turkmenistan hosted a high-level regional meeting marking the 30th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan among the delegations and the CTBTO executive secretary in attendance. Climate & Disaster Watch: The UN’s WMO warns El Niño could bring unusually heavy summer rains to Central Asia, alongside heatwaves and drought risks—an urgent heads-up for Tajikistan’s preparedness. Biodiversity & Mountains: Central Asian countries agreed on a joint push to conserve the snow leopard and other transboundary wildlife, plus better protection of mountain ecosystems under the GEF-9 cycle in Samarkand. One Health Cooperation: Central Asia reviewed progress on a One Health approach project linking health, veterinary and environmental work, aiming to submit a regional report to the Pandemic Fund. Tajikistan Energy Planning: Tajikistan published a long-term power system plan for the Pamir region through 2050, embedding hydropower sustainability tools into future project choices. Water Security Context: Coverage highlights how Central Asia’s water politics are shifting beyond old quota systems as glaciers retreat and climate pressure grows. Domestic Violence Lens: A Tajikistan feature spotlights how daughters-in-law can face hidden control and abuse within patrilocal households, often treated as “tradition.” Connectivity Funding: The EBRD is set to support Tajikistan’s telecom modernization (about $43m) and plans for a border logistics hub with Uzbekistan.

Border & Connectivity: WCO and JICA wrapped up a Risk Management Master Trainer programme and a first-ever Time Release Study for Central Asia and the Caucasus, aiming to speed up border procedures along the Middle Corridor/Trans-Caspian route. Telecoms & Logistics: Tajikistan is set to receive about $43m to modernize telecommunications, while the EBRD also advances plans for a border logistics hub with Uzbekistan. Hydropower & Climate Resilience: Tajikistan published a long-term power plan for Gorno-Badakhshan (2025–2050), using hydropower sustainability screening tools and adding storage and solar options. Wildlife & Mountains: Central Asian states agreed at the GEF Assembly in Samarkand to jointly conserve the snow leopard and other transboundary wildlife, and to protect mountain ecosystems through new regional investment directions. Water & Extreme Weather: The WMO warns El Niño could bring unusually heavy summer rains to Central Asia, alongside higher risks of droughts and heatwaves. One Health: Central Asia reviewed progress on a One Health approach project linking health, veterinary and environmental work, preparing a regional report for the Pandemic Fund. Environment in Diplomacy: Tajikistan and Iran discussed trade, security, and environmental cooperation, including industrial and digital upgrades.