In the city of Samarkand, ahead of the Eighth GEF Assembly and the "Eco Expo Central Asia 2026" international exhibition, the 71st meeting of the Global Environment Facility Council has officially opened. The conference is attended by representatives from 186 member countries of the fund, international organizations, financial institutions, and civil society activists.
In the coming days, the GEF governing bodies will discuss strategic partnership priorities for 2026–2030 and consider opportunities to allocate over 200 million US dollars for environmental and climate projects.
At the opening of the session, Aziz Abduhakimov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Environmental Issues, and Claude Gascon, Acting CEO of the GEF, delivered speeches.
In his speech, Aziz Abduhakimov emphasized that holding this prestigious event in Samarkand is a great honor for the country:
"For centuries, Samarkand has connected people, cultures, and ideas from different continents. Today, the city is once again becoming a meeting point — this time for global cooperation in solving our shared environmental challenges," he said.
It was also noted that the Assembly's theme, entitled "The Final Sprint Towards 2030," is highly relevant for fulfilling international commitments during a period of global environmental crisis.
Today, Uzbekistan's project portfolio in cooperation with the GEF includes 13 projects with a total value of 56 million dollars, as well as 5 additional projects valued at over 30 million dollars. Over the years, the fund has assisted our country in preserving biodiversity (including the protection of the snow leopard), restoring the Aral Sea ecosystem, and improving waste management.
During the Council, initiatives regarding ocean conservation, renewable energy sources, and energy storage systems planned for Uzbekistan will also be discussed. In addition, the GEF Civil Society Organizations Forum will be held in Samarkand.
For reference, the official opening ceremony of the Eighth GEF Assembly will take place in Samarkand on June 4.
