ANTALYA, November 10. /Dunyo IA/.    Director General of the General Directorate of Forestry of Türkiye Bekir Karacabey, shared his impressions with the Dunyo IA correspondent on visiting the national pavilion of Uzbekistan, presented within the framework of COP31:

- I have visited Uzbekistan on numerous occasions and each time this country reveals itself from a new perspective. The pavilion presented here provides an excellent insight into Uzbekistan, its identity and its rich cultural heritage. It is designed with great taste and truly worthily reflects the image of the country. I congratulate everyone who took part in its creation and contributed to the implementation of this project.

My colleagues and I have also established an important and promising cooperation with Uzbekistan in the field of forestry. We are implementing joint projects and working to resolve urgent environmental challenges. I hope that in the future, our interaction will develop consistently, and our partnership and joint work, particularly in the field of forestry, will receive a new impetus.

Particular attention deserves Uzbekistan’s efforts on the greening of the Aral Sea region, specifically the sandy and arid territories where work is being conducted under extremely challenging natural and climatic conditions. We have had the opportunity to personally familiarize ourselves with these initiatives and witness the results directly on the ground.

Undoubtedly, this region demands large-scale efforts, a systemic approach, and painstaking, consistent work. At the same time, I view the projects being implemented here with optimism, especially the initiatives to plant shrubs and other drought-resistant plants. I am confident that over time, they will contribute to improving soil conditions, restoring the ecosystem and forming more favourable natural conditions.

I am convinced that today’s efforts will, in the long term, allow these territories to transform into more resilient green landscapes with developed tree and shrub cover. This will also help significantly reduce erosion processes and halt further land degradation. Crucially, the ongoing work carries not only environmental but also long-term socio-economic significance for the entire region.