A Regional Environmental Summit is being held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Teymur Musayev, participated in the summit.

As part of the summit, a ministerial-level panel session titled “Protecting Future Generations: Health at the Center of the Environmental Agenda – Lessons and Solutions for the Aral and Caspian Regions” was held. The opening of the event featured remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balayeva, and the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. During the panel session, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, presented the Roadmap on Health and Sustainable Development in the Aral region.

Within the framework of the summit, the Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan addressed the ministerial-level panel session on the topic “Political Support and Regional Commitments for a Healthy Future of the Aral and Caspian Regions.”

Teymur Musayev noted that global warming directly affects aquatic biodiversity by altering the thermal structure and oxygen levels of water bodies: “These impacts are not only environmental but also pose serious public health risks. The population is increasingly exposed to contaminated water, which leads to a rise in gastrointestinal diseases, chemical poisoning, and long-term health complications.”

The Minister emphasized that reducing the impact of environmental pollution on human health is one of the key priorities of the Azerbaijani state: “COP29, held in Baku under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, once again demonstrated the close interconnection between climate and health agendas.”

Teymur Musayev also highlighted that the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, jointly with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, conducts nationwide air quality monitoring.

Regarding the water quality of the Caspian Sea, the Minister stressed the importance of strengthening regional and transboundary cooperation: “As enclosed water bodies are shared resources, their management requires a coordinated approach. One of the key strategies applied to preserve biodiversity in the coastal areas of the Caspian Sea is the establishment and effective management of specially protected natural areas. Currently, four national parks operate in Azerbaijan’s coastal zone.”

During the session held within the framework of the Regional Environmental Summit, the Ministers of Health of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan also delivered remarks.

At the conclusion of the event, a joint statement was adopted by the Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan. This document provides for the expansion of joint efforts aimed at addressing climate change, environmental protection, and public health in the region.

Within the framework of the summit, bilateral meetings were held, discussions were conducted on strengthening cooperation in the fields of environment and health, and familiarization visits to leading medical institutions in Kazakhstan were organized.

The event is regarded as an important international platform for enhancing regional cooperation and promoting joint initiatives in the fields of healthcare and environmental protection.