ASTANA — Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov met with members of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) on March 30 to discuss strengthening regional cooperation in water management and improving the fund’s effectiveness, the Prime Minister’s press service said.
Photo credit: primeminister.kz
Bektenov underscored that the rehabilitation of the Aral Sea and the sustainable management of transboundary water resources remain key national priorities. He noted that for more than three decades, IFAS has served as a vital platform for cooperation among Central Asian states across water, environmental, and socio-economic issues.
A central focus of the meeting was the digitalization of water accounting and management systems. Bektenov stressed the need for the phased introduction of a unified automated system for accounting, monitoring, and the distribution of water resources in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya river basins.
“Digitalization and accurate accounting will ensure transparency in water use. Reliable data and joint monitoring form the foundation of trust between states and improve the overall efficiency of water resource management,” he said.
As part of efforts to modernize the region’s legal framework on water use, Bektenov said Kazakhstan has proposed developing a Central Asian Framework Convention on Water Resources. The document is expected to establish agreed-upon principles for the rational use of water, the prevention of transboundary harm, and the expanded exchange of hydrological data.
He also noted that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed creating an international water organization under the auspices of the UN to address global water challenges. The initiative aims to consolidate international efforts and attract additional resources, including for regional projects.
The next meeting of the Council of Heads of State, founders of IFAS, is scheduled for April 22 in Astana, ahead of the Regional Ecological Summit (RES) 2026, which will run from April 22 to 24.
The summit is expected to bring together around 1,500 participants, including government representatives from across the region, international organizations, development institutions, experts, businesses, and civil society. The forum aims to advance regional solutions to climate and environmental challenges in partnership with the UN.
