OSCE supports Central Asian young leaders in sustainable development

ALMATY. September 15. KAZINFORM Twenty-five young development and environmental management professionals from state, business, non-governmental and academic organizations across Central Asia are taking part in a three-day training course as part of the Second Central Asian Leadership Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development which started today with the support of the OSCE Centre in Astana.

The workshop is organized by the Centre in partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) and the Nazarbayev University, Astana. The training focuses on the development of leadership and governance skills to connect economic, social and environmental aspects in order to encourage sustainable development, the OSCE Centre in AStana reports.

At the workshop, participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will discuss ways to address sustainable development challenges and risks with a focus on green economy, climate change, energy and water efficiency, and will learn about best practices in these areas.

"The OSCE Centre supports Kazakhstan in promoting sustainable development and good environmental governance," said Jeannette Kloetzer, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana. "From this perspective we consider building the leadership capacity of young professionals, and giving them the opportunity to share experience and network with academicians and practitioners from Central Asian countries very important."

"CAREC has promoted the integration of sustainable development principles in the education systems of Central Asian countries since 2003. This initiative for emerging leaders and professionals from government, the private sector and civil society across Central Asia is evidence of the developing co-operation and partnership between CAREC, UNEP and the OSCE Centre in Astana," said Talaybek Makeev, the Executive Director of CAREC.

The First Central Asian Leadership Programme Meeting was held in 2010, during the Sixth Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Astana.