Discussion club experts suggest that the Central Asian region consider cooperation with Africa to resolve the water issue
The water situation for Central Asian countries is worsening due to climate change.
This was stated by the Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and Politics at the Higher School of Economics, Anastasia Likhacheva, on the sidelines of the V Central Asian Conference of the Valdai Club in Irkutsk.
At the same time, according to her, the region can solve water problems together with Africa.
Central Asia interacts with partner states, which can be donors in development projects or major regional investors.
Still from the broadcast of the press service of the Valdai Discussion Club
But it is more promising to build a dialogue with countries facing similar problems. In this case, these are African countries, Likhacheva specified.
“This sounds somewhat unexpected, but the African Union as a unifying structure does not simply help them: it is the most important lobbyist in international financial institutions. Without the emergence of blue financing instruments not only for Central Asia, but in general for developing countries in need, this problem will not be moved forward,” she said.
External conditions for Central Asian countries are worsening due to climate change, Likhacheva concluded.
The problem of water shortages in the region has existed since the times of the USSR, noted in turn the Kazakh political scientist, member of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan Akbope Abylkasimov.
According to her, decades after the countries gained independence, the issue remains unresolved.
“I really liked the proposal of one of the experts about turning the Siberian rivers. Indeed, the issue was considered back in Soviet times. And literally 6% of the total volume of the Ob flow is needed to be enough for all of Central Asia,” added Abylkasimov.
On March 4 and 5, the Valdai International Discussion Club will hold the Fifth Central Asian Conference “Russia and Central Asia: Cooperation in a Multipolar World” in Irkutsk.
Its theme is “Russia and Central Asia: Cooperation in a Multipolar World.” The conference will be attended by more than 50 experts and political figures from 10 countries, including Russia, Tajikistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.
https://tj.sputniknews.ru/20250304/valdai-reshenie-problema-voda-central-asia-1066450266.html