On August 28, a meeting was held at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy with Olivier Grandvoinet, Director of the French Development Agency (FDA) in Uzbekistan, and Adelaide Naudin, Project Manager for Forestry, Irrigation, and Climate. The Uzbek side was represented by Akram Umarov, First Vice-Rector of UWED and Director of the Institute for Advanced International Studies, Odil Gafarov, Deputy Director of IAIS, Laylo Tashpulatova, Head of the Department of International Economics at UWED, Gavkhar Mirkhalilova, Head of the International Academic Cooperation Office at UWED, and Mushtariy Usmonova, leading research fellow at IAIS.

During the meeting, FAD representatives provided a detailed overview of their current activities in Uzbekistan. Particular attention was paid to the project to support sustainable water management in Central Asia, which aims to strengthen regional cooperation in the field of water use, improve the efficiency of irrigation systems, and introduce environmental protection approaches in the context of climate challenges.

In turn, representatives of UWED presented a master’s program in water diplomacy, developed at the university in response to the growing demand for training specialists capable of solving complex transboundary water management issues. The activities of the IAIS dedicated to water issues, regional coordination, and prospects for international cooperation in this area were also presented.

The parties emphasized the importance of joining forces to address issues related to climate change and the rational use of natural resources. An agreement was reached on the development of cooperation, including joint events, expert discussions, and research projects on issues of mutual interest.