At the meeting between the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and the EU Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala, prospects for cooperation in the field of water resources were discussed, El.kz reports with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The parties expressed their readiness to cooperate on water conservation issues. They talked about the new Water Code, which is being developed by the Ministry, and plans to create an international water and energy consortium in Central Asia.
The Special Representative emphasized the interest of the EU countries in cooperation with Kazakhstan in this area. Issues of support for the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the second stage of the project for the restoration of the lake, scheduled for the beginning of next year, were also discussed.
The Minister also expressed interest in the participation of the European Union in the initiative to preserve the Caspian Sea within the framework of cooperation with the Research Institute for the Study of the Caspian Sea, the work on the creation of which is currently underway.
Kazakhstan welcomes any cooperation in the conservation of water resources, cooperating not only with its neighbors, but also, of course, with European countries. In addition, at the moment, such issues as the restoration of irrigation systems, the reconstruction of hydraulic structures and the study of groundwater are relevant for our country. I think we will be able to identify areas in which we can work effectively," said Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov.