On September 21, 2026, a seminar was held in the SIC ICWC Training Hall with the participation of national experts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of regional and international partner organizations. The event, part of the IKI project “Regional Mechanisms for Low-Carbon and Climate-Resilient Transformation of the Energy-Water-Land Nexus in Central Asia,” focused on assessment methodology and monitoring tools for water security in the administrative territories of the Aral Sea Basin (ASB).

The seminar opened with a welcoming address by Sh.Kh. Muminov, Deputy Director of the Scientific and Research Center for Interregional Water Coordination (SIC ICWC), outlining the meeting’s objectives and wishing the participants productive work. During the first session, dedicated to the IKI project and the methodology for assessing water security in the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) administrative territories, D.R. Ziganshina presented an overview of the project. This was followed by a discussion of the water management situation and water security in Central Asian countries, with presentations by national experts S.R. Ibatullin, A.Sh. Dzhailoobaev, and Ya.E. Pulatov (presented online).

“Assessing the water security of administrative territories is not a one-time study, but a tool that basin countries can use regularly to identify where risks are growing most rapidly and to develop joint response measures in advance,” noted D.R. Ziganshina, Director of the Scientific and Research Center of the International Water Coordination Center (ICWC).

Next, Sh.M. Kenzhabaev presented a methodology for assessing and monitoring water security in the administrative territories of the Aral Sea basin, developed within the framework of the project.

The afternoon was devoted to tools for assessing and monitoring BAS water security. Nargiz Shantaeva (OECD, online) presented the results of a “Hotspot” analysis, and A.A. Ulugov presented a website (platform) for assessing and monitoring water security in the BAS administrative territories. The presentation of the platform was followed by a lively discussion with experts from Central Asian countries. The discussion focused on expectations for the platform, key regional priorities, possible operational models, expert engagement mechanisms, regional coordination, and the linkages between science, policy, and practice.

The seminar concluded with a final discussion, during which participants summarized the meeting’s key findings and discussed next steps and possible formats for continued cooperation.

The seminar marked an important step in developing a regional methodology and practical tools for assessing water security in the Aral Sea basin and strengthening cooperation between Central Asian countries in the face of climate change.

Google machine translated