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Promoting the Aarhus Convention in Central Asia
DUSHANBE 10 June 2002
DUSHANBE, 10 June 2002 - Access to information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters were at the centre of discussions during a four-day workshop held in Tajikistan, from 4 to 7 June 2002.
The second workshop on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Central Asia brought together more than 70 participants from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Officials, journalists and NGOs shared their experiences in implementing the Aarhus Convention, and presented best practices from their respective countries.
The Convention, a unique agreement which focuses on public participation in the field of environmental protection, entered into force on 30 October 2001. The Republic of Tajikistan acceded to the Aarhus Convention on 9 June 2001.
The OSCE assists local governments and environmental NGOs in raising awareness about the Convention. The Mission to Tajikistan has been very active in organizing training sessions for youth, devoted to access to environmental information and network-building among young ecologists of the country.
"It is important to extend the traditional function of mahallas (local communities) in addressing environmental issues and to support their co-operation with local authorities and environmental NGOs," underlined the representative of the Tajik Ministry of Nature Protection.
Participants of the workshop reaffirmed the importance of holding regional seminars on the Aarhus Convention and developing a network of specialists and NGO experts on environmental matters. Recommendations issued at the end of the workshop included the request for donor countries to continue assisting in the organization of trainings, seminars and conferences for government, NGO and media representatives.
The workshop was jointly organized by the OSCE, the Tajik Government, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the American Bar Association/Central and East European Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI), with financial assistance from Norway government
The second workshop on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Central Asia brought together more than 70 participants from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Officials, journalists and NGOs shared their experiences in implementing the Aarhus Convention, and presented best practices from their respective countries.
The Convention, a unique agreement which focuses on public participation in the field of environmental protection, entered into force on 30 October 2001. The Republic of Tajikistan acceded to the Aarhus Convention on 9 June 2001.
The OSCE assists local governments and environmental NGOs in raising awareness about the Convention. The Mission to Tajikistan has been very active in organizing training sessions for youth, devoted to access to environmental information and network-building among young ecologists of the country.
"It is important to extend the traditional function of mahallas (local communities) in addressing environmental issues and to support their co-operation with local authorities and environmental NGOs," underlined the representative of the Tajik Ministry of Nature Protection.
Participants of the workshop reaffirmed the importance of holding regional seminars on the Aarhus Convention and developing a network of specialists and NGO experts on environmental matters. Recommendations issued at the end of the workshop included the request for donor countries to continue assisting in the organization of trainings, seminars and conferences for government, NGO and media representatives.
The workshop was jointly organized by the OSCE, the Tajik Government, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the American Bar Association/Central and East European Law Initiative (ABA/CEELI), with financial assistance from Norway government