The Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Austria Tolendy Makeyev met with Mr. Georg Rebernig, the Managing Director of the Environment Agency Austria under the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Austria on March 27, 2023.

Parties exchanged views on environmental issues and discussed possible ways of cooperation in the field of ecology during the meeting. The Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan emphasized that the negative effects of global warming have caused intensive melting of glaciers, which requires joint efforts to protect mountain ecosystems to prevent the threat of extinction of mountain glaciers in the world.

Ambassador highly appreciated the active support of Austria, which co-sponsored the resolution on "Sustainable Mountain Development" adopted by the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in December 2022 at the initiative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov. Currently there is an active work within the framework of the Five Decade of Action for the development of mountain regions in 2023-2027.

In this regard the Ambassador informed his Austrian counterpart about the appeal of President of the Kyrgyz Republic of January 7, 2023 in which he voiced a proposal to exchange the foreign debt of the Kyrgyz Republic for the implementation of specific projects in the field of green economy. At the same time, the investment projects of green economy in Kyrgyzstan mainly on the construction of energy facilities and hydropower plants in the country were submitted for consideration of the Environment Agency Austria.

Managing Director of the Environment Agency Austria expressed interest in exploring opportunities for joint development of perspective areas of practical cooperation with the Kyrgyz side.

For reference: The Environment Agency Austria has been a partner of the Swiss water sector project implemented in Kyrgyzstan since March this year.