90th Anniversary Meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) Held in Burabay
August 14, Burabay, Republic of Kazakhstan
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev chaired the 90th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) of the Central Asian countries.
The ICWC is the main interstate body in the region responsible for the strategic management of transboundary water resources. The agenda of the 90th meeting was driven by the challenging agro-climatic situation and focused on urgent issues of fair distribution of water resources.
Kanat Bozumbayev noted that the current growing season is taking place under extremely strained conditions, and the projected worsening of the climate and low-water conditions in the coming years require coordinated action by Central Asian countries and strict adherence to the agreements reached.
“The volume of the Shardara Reservoir has fallen below the long-term average. These are no longer just numbers – this is a real threat to water supply in downstream areas. We must acknowledge that the decisions adopted within the ICWC framework are not being fully implemented, which leads to serious difficulties in regulating water regimes. I would like to emphasize: the time demands greater dynamism from us. We must not only discuss and plan, but also take concrete measures. I am confident that our partnership will continue to develop in the spirit of trust and mutual understanding, and that our joint work will bring tangible results for our countries and the entire region,” said Kanat Bozumbayev.
As part of the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the heads of water management agencies of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. They discussed the use of approved quotas and reservoir operation regimes for the Syr Darya and Amu Darya river basins and outlined an action plan to prepare for the next year’s growing season.
The meeting was attended by representatives of sectoral and foreign affairs agencies from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of international financial institutions and development organizations, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and others. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) was also among the participants. The Swiss-funded Blue Peace Central Asia Initiative was presented during the meeting.
The meeting concluded with the signing ceremony of the protocol of the 90th ICWC meeting.
The next meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination will take place in Turkmenistan.
Source: Official Information Resource of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan