Uzbekistan's water policy: experience and consolidation of Central Asian countries

The emergence of new challenges and threats arising from global climate change, the deterioration of the water and environmental situation and the growing shortage of water resources is of concern in all countries of Central Asia. In these circumstances, optimism is inspired by a clear understanding among the countries of the region: it is necessary to combine efforts to develop and implement joint coordinated actions to protect the environment.

Climate change today affects all corners of the Earth, and its consequences cause considerable damage to the economies of states, hinder the achievement of the SDGs, and become serious challenges for humanity.
The leader of our state has repeatedly raised this issue from the high rostrum. The President of Uzbekistan, addressing all countries, major international organizations and civil society institutions, calls for consolidating efforts in the field of countering climate change and mitigating its consequences, financing climate strategies and the transition to green energy.
The countries of Central Asia, like many other regions, face environmental problems. Uzbekistan, in turn, demonstrates its commitment to fighting them. A solid regulatory and legal framework has been formed, and large-scale programs aimed at promoting issues on the "green" agenda are being implemented. Practical measures are being taken to adapt the main sectors of the economy to climate change and achieve carbon neutrality. New renewable energy facilities and "green" technologies are being introduced throughout the country. And at the World Summit on Climate Change Action held in early December within the framework of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), Uzbekistan launched a number of important initiatives to strengthen the fight against climate change at various levels.
Recently, the UN General Assembly approved the resolution "Central Asia in the face of environmental problems: strengthening regional solidarity for sustainable development and prosperity" proposed by Uzbekistan in co-authorship with a number of countries. The document emphasizes the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to solve environmental problems, which in turn will contribute to the socio-economic development of States. The resolution highlights the important role of innovative technologies and best practices in combating desertification, drought, sand and dust storms in Central Asia.
The high-level dialogue successfully developing in Central Asia gives a significant impetus to the negotiation processes in all areas, including in the water sector. The annual consultative meetings of the heads of State of Central Asia play an important role, which lay a solid foundation for constructive solutions to many pressing problems of a regional scale. One of these events was the launch of the process of improving the organizational structure and legal framework of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS).
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in his speech at the regular meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea on September 15 this year in Dushanbe, drew special attention to the problem of water shortage in Central Asia, which has acquired an acute and irreversible character and will only continue to worsen. Based on this, the importance of further strengthening trust, good-neighborliness and partnership, and building practical cooperation between the States of the region was pointed out.
Thus, the Central Asian countries have their own national approaches to building water policy, but in the current conditions, "water diplomacy", aimed at a multilateral format of mutually beneficial cooperation, is gaining special importance. And there are a lot of practical results in this regard. Let's focus in detail on the most significant ones.
Due to the intensification of the bilateral dialogue, a joint Uzbek-Kazakh working group was established in 2016 to develop proposals for deepening cooperation in the field of water relations. In July 2020, the two countries signed a roadmap on cooperation in this area, which gave an additional impetus to bilateral cooperation.
Active contacts are also being established with Kyrgyzstan. It is encouraging that the country is currently demonstrating its readiness for the negotiation process within the framework of IFAS.
One of the significant events in the establishment of multilateral water and energy cooperation between the countries of the region was the signing of a trilateral roadmap between Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan on the joint construction of the Kambarata HPP-1 in January 2023. The three countries also began to jointly resolve the issue of additional discharge of water from the Toktogul reservoir in the summer.
At the same time, a striking example of the intensification of partnership relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in such an important area was the signing in November 2022 of the agreement on joint management of water resources of the Andijan (Kempir-Abad) reservoir. Uzbekistan is successfully conducting a dialogue on many aspects of water and energy issues with Tajikistan. Since March 2018, a working group on the integrated use of water resources of transboundary rivers has been operating between the two countries. And the first major project of Uzbek-Tajik energy cooperation was the agreement reached in June 2022 on the construction of the Javanese HPP with a capacity of 140 MW. The $282 million project will generate 700-800 million kWh of electricity. It is also planned to build a hydroelectric power plant on the Fandarya River with a capacity of 135 MW.
An agreement has been reached between the three countries - Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan - on the operating mode of the Bahri Tojik (Kayrakkumskoye) reservoir during the growing season, which allows for the necessary water supply in the middle reaches of the Syrdarya River.
Mutually beneficial cross-border water cooperation is also being successfully built with Turkmenistan. In particular, in May 2021, an intergovernmental agreement on a joint Uzbek-Turkmen commission on water management issues was signed in Ashgabat. The Turkmen side, in turn, provides organizational support in the operation of Uzbekistan's water management facilities located on its territory, such as the Karshi Main Canal, the Amu-Bukhara Machine Canal and the Tuyamuyun hydroelectric complex.
Today, the countries of the region are not only solving pressing issues on the agenda, but also actively exchanging experience in the use of modern water-saving technologies, training and retraining of personnel. It is noteworthy that in the emerging atmosphere of mutual trust and support, the Central Asian states are making compromises and forming common approaches on key issues of transboundary water use. Thus, along with the establishment of interstate relations, "water diplomacy" is used by the countries of the region as an important effective tool aimed at creating a positive image on regional and international platforms. This allows us to promote joint initiatives to strengthen practical actions, receive assistance and support from the international community to solve the accumulated problems in the field of water use.
Experts' data have been announced at major international venues that in some territories of Central Asia, the burden on water resources will increase threefold by 2040. The economic damage may eventually reach 11 percent of the regional gross product. Already, according to the United Nations, the States of the region lose up to two billion dollars annually due to scarcity and inefficient use of water resources. And in these conditions, the key to the sustainable development of each Central Asian country can be close cooperation aimed at joint practical interaction.

Nozim Khasanov,
Head of the Department 
International Institute 
Central Asia