ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s efforts in advancing interstate cooperation in the water sector have received international recognition, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation press service on Aug. 18.
Photo credit: Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation
Kazakhstan’s achievements in the water sector have been positively assessed by Alexander Nikolayenko, head of the Blue Peace Central Asia.
“Although the ministry was established only recently, it has integrated a wide range of areas essential for the development of Kazakhstan’s water sector. An important component is water diplomacy, which allows the country to promote interstate cooperation to ensure national and regional water security,” Nikolayenko said.
The expert emphasized a joint initiative of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to automate ten hydrological stations along the middle and lower reaches of the Syr Darya River. He described this as a practical example of efforts to strengthen transparency and efficiency in the use of shared water resources.
Nikolayenko added that the adoption of a new Water Code demonstrates the country’s commitment to implementing long-term solutions and further developing regional water diplomacy.
The Blue Peace initiative, launched by Switzerland in 2010, promotes water cooperation across borders and generations. In Central Asia, the initiative has been active since 2017, combining hydrodiplomacy, regional projects on water management and capacity-building for water specialists.
Earlier, The Astana Times analyzed how ensuring accurate accounting of Syr Darya River water consumption allows for cross-checking of data and greater transparency of resources.
