As part of the ongoing initiative by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, to designate May 24 as “International Markhor Day,” a side event titled “Markhor Protection: Strategies and Success Stories” was held at the UN Headquarters in New York. This was reported by the Committee on Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Bahodur Sheralizoda-Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, participated in the panel session.

The event was organized in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with the objective of engaging stakeholders to enhance awareness, foster cooperation, and improve strategies for the protection of the markhor and its habitat.

It is worth noting that the event was inaugurated by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Tajikistan to the UN, Jonibek Hikmat and the Director of the UN Environment Program Office in New York. The event was attended by delegates from the United Nations member states.

The Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection invited attendees to participate in the 9th World Conference on Mountain Ungulates, which will take place from October 12-15 in Dushanbe.

It was highlighted that, despite the challenges, Tajikistan has successfully boosted the population of the markhor from 700 individuals in the 1990s to over 6,000 in 2022 through the establishment of reserves, targeted initiatives, and awareness-raising campaigns.

NIAT “Khovar”

translated by Ismoilov R.