Azernews.Az

Nazrin Abdul

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A high-level meeting of government officials from the Caspian littoral states was held as part of the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries.

Azernews reports, according to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the meeting focused on discussing key areas of joint action to mitigate the negative impacts of the Caspian Sea's declining water levels.

In his address, Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev emphasized the sustained growth in trade among Caspian states, noting that this positive trend has laid a solid foundation for deeper bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

He also highlighted the importance of the Third Caspian Economic Forum, held in Tehran in February 2025, particularly in terms of expanding trade and mutual investment volumes, as well as deepening cooperation in energy and transport-logistics sectors.

Addressing environmental challenges, Mustafayev stressed that the drop in the Caspian Sea’s water level is a growing concern for the entire region. He recalled that this issue was first raised by President Ilham Aliyev at the 2022 Ashgabat Summit, and noted that preparations are ongoing for the first meeting of a five-party expert group to be held in Baku.

The event also featured extensive discussions on the socio-economic and environmental impacts of changes in the Caspian Sea ecosystem. Particular attention was given to how fluctuating water levels could affect coastal communities and regional development.

Deputy Prime Minister Mustafayev underscored the need to expand scientific research cooperation and implement joint programs focused on fisheries, maritime activities, and the protection of biodiversity, in order to minimize the negative consequences of these changes.

During the meeting, participants proposed launching a multilateral cooperation mechanism aimed at developing common standards and approaches for studying changes in the Caspian Sea.