The Regional Ecological Summit 2026 (RES 2026) is being held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 22 to 24 April 2026, presented as the culmination of a twoyear preparatory process that started in 2024.

The initiative was launched by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym Jomart Tokayev and developed in partnership with the United Nations, with the explicit purpose of convening Central Asian states and international stakeholders around coordinated responses to climate and environmental risks according to kazakhstan.un.org

Unlike many highlevel gatherings that remain primarily symbolic, RES 2026 is framed as an implementationoriented platform: it connects political leadership with financiers, scientists, businesses, and civil society to turn regional environmental concerns into practical commitments, funding pipelines, and action plans.

The summit’s stated ambition is to deliver tangible outputs, notably a Joint Declaration and a Regional Action Program for 2026–2030, designed to guide and structure cooperation beyond the event itself.

A) Heads of State and GovernmentRES 2026 features participation at the highest political level, including the leaders of the Central Asian states and invited partners according to Astana Times and Euronews.

Kazakhstan — President KassymJomartTokayev (summit initiator and host).

Uzbekistan — President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Turkmenistan — President Serdar Berdimuhamedow.

Kyrgyzstan — President Sadyr Japarov.

Tajikistan — President Emomali Rahmon.

Partner states represented at senior level

Armenia — President Vahagn Khachaturyan.

Georgia — President Mikheil Kavelashvili.

Azerbaijan — Prime Minister Ali Asadov.

Mongolia — Highlevel participation is referenced in reporting about expected leaders.

Cambodia — Minister of Environment Dr. Eang Sophalleth attended as part of a delegation to RES 2026 in Astana.

B) International organizations and strategic partners

United Nations: The UN is identified as a strategic partner to the summit, with 18 agencies involved and multiple thematic sessions and workshops coordinated through the UN system in Kazakhstan.

Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Within the RES framework, the Second Meeting of Ministers responsible for environment, climate, and ecology of OTS member states is held, with participation expected from the OTS Secretary General Kubanychbek Omuraliev and other senior officials.

EU supported programming: SWITCHAsia The EU’s SWITCHAsia programme is presented as an active contributor to RES 2026 through sessions on circular economy and sustainable consumption/production policy support.

International financial institutions The summit is designed to engage development financiers and greenfinance actors in order to translate climate priorities into investable regional programs. This focus is echoed in summit descriptions emphasizing the role of financing partners and investmentoriented cooperation.

RES 2026 explicitly integrates scientific expertise, business involvement, and civil society participation as part of its approach to “implementation beyond declarations.”

In his opening address, President KassymJomart Tokayev emphasized the need for fair, practical, and implementationfocused climate cooperation. He stressed that environmental protection is not only a moral obligation but also a strategic priority for global and regional stability. As leaders from Central Asia and beyond gathered in Astana, Tokayev underlined that ecological challenges transcend borders and require collective responsibility and coordinated action.

The summit thus establishes an international platform for structured dialogue and cooperation among governments, international and regional organizations, financial institutions, development agencies, businesses, scientists, and civil society. This inclusive approach reflects the understanding that environmental challenges are complex and interconnected, demanding crosssectoral solutions according to Astana Times.

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