The European Union will allocate a grant of nearly 9 million euros for the restoration of lands in the Aral Sea basin.

Uzbekistan, Tashkent – AN Podrobno.uz. The European Union is set to launch an environmental project in Uzbekistan in 2025 aimed at restoring degraded lands in the lower basin of the Aral Sea. A grant of 8.8 million euros has been allocated by the EU for this initiative, reports a correspondent from Podrobno.uz.

https://podrobno.uz/cat/obchestvo/evrosoyuz-napravit-grant-v-razmere-pochti-9-millionov-evro-na-vosstanovlenie-zemel-v-basseyne-arala-/2025-02-03 08:13:10

This was reported by Trend, citing the spokesperson for the European Commission.

It has been revealed that the project, which will be funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), has been allocated a EU grant of 8.8 million euros. In addition to the EU grant funding, credit agreements of 30 million euros each will be signed between Uzbekistan, AFD, and EIB.

The primary objective of the initiative is to enhance the socio-economic and environmental living conditions of the population by rehabilitating degraded lands.

To achieve this, the project plans to establish protective green belts in the transition zone to the dry bed of the Aral Sea. Furthermore, to support agroforestry, the project will assist in planting productive trees and forage plant species, such as licorice and rosehip.

The implementation of the project is expected to commence in 2025.

These measures will help lay the groundwork for enhancing the ecological resilience of the region and will contribute to the restoration of its natural resources, which are crucial for the local population and agriculture.

It is worth noting that in 2024, the European Union announced a grant allocation totaling approximately 3.5 million euros to support civil society projects in Uzbekistan.