THE ARAL SEA PROBLEM THROUGH THE PRISM OF FOREIGN POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

Abstract

The Aral Sea, once one of the world's largest inland bodies of water, has experienced a catastrophic decline over the past several decades, primarily due to unsustainable water man-agement practices. This environmental catastrophe has had profound implications for the foreign policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a country heavily impacted by the crisis. This scientific ar-ticle examines the multifaceted dimensions of the Aral Sea problem and how it has shaped Uzbekistan's foreign policy. It explores the nation's efforts in water resource management, regional cooperation, international partnerships, climate diplomacy, security considerations, and human-itarian responses in the context of the Aral Sea crisis. The main purpose of this article is to analyze the problems and causes of the drying up of the Aral Sea and to generalize approaches to resolving this issue of the Republic of Uzbekistan through the lens of foreign policy. This analysis was carried out by applying such methods as historical, comparative and content analysis. These methods enabled the author to analyse and identify the main factors contributing to solving the problems of the Aral Sea. The author concluded that Uzbekistan, as an equal subject of international relations, is pursuing an active foreign policy aimed also at solving the ecological disaster in the territory of the Aral Sea region. Thus, this article summarizes the main ways of improving the situation in the Aral Sea, which the Republic of Uzbekistan is undertaking in the international arena and in the region as a whole.