Water security issues in Central Asia discussed in Washington, DC
As part of the initiatives announced by the President of Kazakhstan at the One Water Summit, a panel discussion titled “The Water Crisis in Central Asia: Prospects for Regional Cooperation and Management Strategies” was held at George Washington University, El.kz cites MFA.
The event was organized by Bolashak Program scholars in collaboration with al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU).
The discussion featured participants such as Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United States, Yerzhan Ashikbayev; Associate Professor at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, Suriya Turaeva; Head of the Department of International Relations and World Economy at KazNU, Gulnara Baikushikova; Professor at the American University of Central Asia, Elira Turdubayeva; Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at KazNU, Saltanat Dzhakubayeva; and American experts. The panel was moderated by Sebastien Peyrouse, Director of the Central Asia Program at George Washington University.
In his remarks, Ambassador Ashikbayev emphasized the importance of regional cooperation for the rational and equitable use of Central Asia’s water resources. He highlighted key achievements by Kazakhstan in addressing water issues, including the construction of the Kokaral Dam with support from the World Bank, which restored the northern part of the Aral Sea, and securing 1.15 billion US dollars from the Islamic Development Bank to modernize water infrastructure. The Ambassador also underlined the significance of the C5+1 platform, which strengthens collaboration between regional countries and the United States on water resource management.
Participants noted that Central Asia faces increasing pressure on water resources due to population growth, urbanization, and rising agricultural and industrial consumption. They noted that climate change exacerbates these challenges by reducing glacial runoff, destabilizing weather patterns, and causing rising temperatures.
It was particularly emphasized that water in Central Asia has historically served as both a unifying factor and a source of tension. However, the transboundary nature of hydrological systems makes joint water resource management an urgent necessity. The participants stressed that diplomacy plays a key role in building trust and fostering cooperation among regional countries, enabling water to become a foundation for sustainable development and stability rather than a potential source of conflict.
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