High-Level Discussions Held on Preparations for the 2026 Regional Ecological Summit
Press Release
On September 25, 2025, a briefing dedicated to the preparations for the 2026 Regional Ecological Summit was held in New York as part of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. During the event, representatives of international organizations expressed support for Kazakhstan’s efforts toward sustainable development and its initiative to establish a regional dialogue platform on ecology and climate.
The briefing was organized by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Central Asia Project Office on Climate Change and Green Energy under the Central Asian Climate Fund.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, Kairat Umarov, emphasized the importance of partnership with the UN system in preparing for the Summit and highlighted Kazakhstan’s role as the initiator of the regional dialogue on environmental and climate issues.
The Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Nyssanbayev, presented the draft Action Program for 2026–2030. The program was developed in partnership with UN agencies, with the active involvement of the Project Office, which provides analytical and organizational support throughout the process.
President of COP29 and Special Representative of the President of Azerbaijan on Climate Issues, Mukhtar Babayev, expressed support for Kazakhstan’s initiatives and noted Azerbaijan’s readiness to cooperate, emphasizing the strategic importance of developing green energy for the region as a whole.
Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the UNECE and UN Deputy Secretary-General, highlighted the importance of nature-based solutions and supported the initiative to prepare a regional review of the effectiveness of environmental actions in Central Asian countries.
Jamil Ahmad, Deputy Head of the New York Office of the United Nations Environment Programme, confirmed UNEP’s readiness to support Kazakhstan’s and the region’s initiatives on the path to sustainable development.
For her part, Ivana Živković, Assistant Secretary-General of the UN and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS, commended Kazakhstan’s regional leadership and emphasized the importance of projects focused on preserving the Caspian Sea ecosystem and promoting sustainable land use.
At the conclusion of the briefing, UN system agencies reaffirmed their readiness for continued cooperation and expressed support for the draft 2026–2030 Action Program, which is set to become the key document guiding the preparation and implementation of decisions of the upcoming Regional Ecological Summit.
As announced earlier, the Regional Ecological Summit will be held in Astana from April 22 to 24, 2026о