Ms. Kurmanova, Director of Sub-Regional Office for Central Asia, United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) was invited to visit the Almaty Branch, Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (RCEECA) and conducted exchanges and discussions regarding the future bilateral cooperation.

Accompanied by Liu Wenjiang, Executive Deputy Director of RCEECA, Director Kurmanova firstly paid a visit to the Joint Laboratory and Information Sub-center of Almaty Branch; subsequently, she heard Executive Deputy Director Liu Wenjiang’s introduction to RCEECA’s orientation and target, organizational management, platform construction, personnel training and the progress of ongoing projects in the four countries in Central Asia, as well as Academic Secretary of Almaty Branch, Gulnura’s report on the cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in science and technology.

Director Kurmanova joyfully noted in her speech that her visit to the Almaty Branch of RCEECA was productive. She recognized that RCEECA has established a scientific research cooperation platform with standardized administration and effective operation in Central Asia region, obtained large amounts of observation data, arranged several important cooperative research projects and output a series of achievements in scientific research. It was particularly worth mentioning that the Joint Laboratory of Almaty Branch not only passed the certification of Kazakhstan’s national laboratory system and international laboratory system, but also became a member of the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). She stressed that the ongoing scientific researches conducted by RCEECA were highly consistent with the priorities of UNEP in the Central Asian region. RCEECA is expected to actively offer advice and suggestions centering the priorities in the Action Plan for Regional Environment jointly issued by the five countries in Central Asia region, to participate in the tasks involved by relying on the existing regional network and to put forward more policy recommendations on the basis of previous researches and demonstrations.

After expressing gratitude to Director Kurmanova for her visit and the recognition of RCEECA’s work, Liu Wenjiang pointed out that RCEECA would organize experts to discuss the action plan, enhance the exchanges and information sharing with the Sub-Regional Office for Central Asia, UNEP and take an active part in the activities of the UNEP in the Central Asian region, making efforts to serve and support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and to benefit local people.

Overall introduction to RCEECA

Report by the Branch

Discussion and communication

Visit to the Laboratory

Group photo