IFAS Board Members Meet in Kazakhstan's Government
March 30, 2026, 10:04 AM
Kazakhstan pushes for regional unity to revive the Aral Sea and reform water policies
The meeting addressed further development of regional water cooperation, improving the Fund's efficiency, and preparations for the upcoming summit of the Heads of State—founders of IFAS—scheduled for April 22 in Astana.
Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), as the country concludes its chairmanship this year, our website reports, citing the Kazakh government's press service.
The meeting was attended by Tajikistan's First Deputy Prime Minister Sulaimon Ziyozoda, Turkmenistan's Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Tangryguly Atahallyyev, Uzbek Presidential Advisor Shukhrat Ganiev, Uzbekistan's Minister of Water Management Shavkat Khamraev, Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Minister and Director of the Water Resources Service under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry Almaz Jeenkaliev, IFAS Executive Committee Chairman Askhat Orazbay, as well as heads of relevant ministries and agencies of Kazakhstan.
Bektenov emphasized that saving the Aral Sea and sustainable management of transboundary water resources remain key priorities outlined by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Fifth National Kurultai. He noted that for over three decades, IFAS has served as the central regional platform for cooperation among Central Asian states in water, environmental, and socioeconomic spheres.
The meeting highlighted the importance of digitizing water accounting and management.
"We are discussing the phased implementation of a unified automated system for monitoring, accounting, and distributing water resources in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya basins," Bektenov said. "Digitization and accurate accounting will ensure transparency in water use. Reliable data and joint monitoring form the basis of trust between nations and enhance the efficiency of water resource management."
As part of efforts to modernize the legal framework, Kazakhstan advocates for the development of a Central Asian Water Use Framework Convention. The document should enshrine agreed-upon principles for the rational use of water resources, prevention of transboundary harm, and improved exchange of hydrological data.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed establishing a UN-affiliated International Water Organization to address global water challenges. This initiative would consolidate efforts and mobilize additional resources, including for regional projects.
The meeting placed special emphasis on refining the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS)'s organizational structure and legal framework to enhance the fund's operational efficiency, strengthen coordination among its institutions, and ensure the effective implementation of adopted decisions.
Participants also stressed the importance of developing unified approaches to key issues ahead of the upcoming Council of Heads of State—the founding members of IFAS.
In closing, all sides reaffirmed their commitment to continuing constructive dialogue, advancing water diplomacy, and pursuing joint solutions aimed at the sustainable management of the region's water resources and improving the ecological situation in the Aral Sea basin.
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