On December 20, 2022, the International Ecological Forum themed on Environmental and water problems of Central Asia: methods and solutions using new modern technologies was held in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) , organized by the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (Bishkek), Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography Chinese Academy of Sciences, Eco Solutions LLC, Zhongke Third Pole (Anhui) Technology Research Institute and ‘The Belt and Road’ Science and Technology Industry Innovation Strategic Alliance. The forum has received wide attention from experts and scholars from Central Asia, EU, Russia and China. More than 100 representatives from government agencies, business community, research organizations, product users and media participated in the forum, including 73 offline participants.

At the opening ceremony, Member of Parliament of Kyrgyzstan, Chairman of the Delegation of the Kyrgyz Parliament to the EC, D.A. Ashimova, former Dean of  the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, Academician M.S. Dzhumatayev,  Director of the RCEECA Professor Chen Xi, co-director of the RCEECA (Bishkek) and Principal Investigator of the ANSO Project Professor Li Yaoming, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic K.A. Kenzhematova, Head of the Monitoring and Analysis Department of the Department of Construction and Engineering Infrastructure at the State Agency of Architecture, Construction and Housing and Communal Services under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic I.S. Ismailov, Executive Chairman of Kyrgyz Peace Foundation N.K. Ashirmatov, delivered speeches respectively.

The presentations of experts focused on the prospects for the application of modern technologies for securing water supply and solving water resources and environmental pollution problems, methods for solving drinking water safety problems, municipal treatment facilities and wastewater treatment technologies, centralized management mechanisms for water resources and irrigation systems, integrated systems for the disposal of municipal solid waste including collection, sorting, treatment, production, legislative framework for integrated water resources management and optimization of sanitary standards, etc. Researchers in the fields of hydrology, sanitation, water resources usage and protection, water security, solid waste disposal and environmental protection were invited to participate in this forum.

Participants had thorough discussions on methods of purification of drinking water and wastewater and the use of modern technologies for the treatment of solid domestic waste, and provided advice on ecological and water issues in Central Asia. Representatives of high-tech enterprises from the ‘Belt and Road’ Science and Technology Industry Innovation Strategy Alliance introduced successful cases and programs. The Secretary-General of the Alliance, Zhang Yuzheng, said that more enterprises and institutions in Central Asia will be considered to join the Alliance and sign strategic cooperation agreements next year as enterprises in Central Asia are interested in Chinese programs. On behalf of the ANSO Collaborative Research Project entitled ‘Promotion and Application of Low-cost and Smart Water Purification Technology in Central Asia Intelligent Water Purification Technologies in Central Asia’, Salamat Abdyzhapar brought a presentation on clean drinking water solutions for scattered villages in Kyrgyzstan, which attracted considerable attention.

During the discussion session, D.A. Ashimova affirmed the importance of this work, which provides a realistic solution to the problem of drinking water safety in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan, and specifically requested the General Directorate of Construction, Housing and Public Services of Kyrgyzstan, together with the Kyrgyz National Academy of Sciences and RCEECA, to study the economic and market-oriented scheme of the project on a national scale, as well as the related standards and specifications. The specialized committee of the Parliament is ready to consider this.

The forum shared information, knowledge and experience of Central Asian countries in solving environmental and water problems, and also helped to extend and promote all-round water cooperation in Central Asia gradually, laying the foundation for the future promotion of new technologies and methods for drinking water purification, urban waste treatment and water conservation management in Central Asia, including the Chinese solutions,  thus promoting the Green development of the 'One Belt, One Road' construction.

The forum received attention and coverage from a number of local media. Murat Dzhumataev, Li Yaoming, Salamat Abdyzhapar uulu and Alamanov Salamat were interviewed by the media after the meeting.