EU Parliament member Viola von Cramon praises Uzbekistan's potential for success in Central Asia

On October 3, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Strasbourg discussed Uzbekistan, during which German politician Viola von Kramon delivered a speech about the relationship between Uzbekistan and the EU. She shared her thoughts on her Twitter page, praising the country's potential for success in Central Asia due to its young and hard-working population, natural resources, and rich history.

However, she also expressed concerns about the erosion of the land and resources. 

Von Kramon also highlighted the mismanagement of water resources, toxic dust covering cities, and the country becoming a partial desert, warning that if these processes are not stopped, more than 35mn inhabitants of Uzbekistan will face environmental disaster. The politician concluded her speech by calling for the European Union to be closer to Central Asia, providing an alternative democracy to China and Russia, and empowering the people to improve their lives and protect Uzbekistan's unique ecosystem.

According to Khabar TV's report on May 14, the water level in the Aral Sea has increased by almost 1.5bn cubic meters since the beginning of this year. This marks a milestone as the water level has reached a height of 95 centimeters for the first time in many years. For the past 12 years, the water level has been decreasing, dropping from 27 to 18bn cubic meters. However, in the Kyzylorda Region, 90% of the 200 big and small lakes are filled, and thousands of hectares of farmland and pastures have been irrigated.

The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest lake with abundant natural resources, has been drying up for decades, with satellite images showing a 40-fold reduction in water levels over the past 50 years. The lake is split into two parts: the large Aral in Uzbekistan and the small Aral in Kazakhstan. The Syr Darya and Amu Darya are the two transboundary rivers that feed the Aral Sea. The Syr Darya River originates in the Kyrgyz Republic and flows through Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan, with the Kyzylorda Region as its final destination.

Daniyar Sagadiyev, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources' deputy director of the transboundary rivers department, stated that cooperation with neighboring countries along the Syr Darya is carried out as part of the Interstate Water Coordination Commission. Cotton producers in the Turkistan Region and rice growers in the Kyzylorda Region are the main users of water in Kazakhstan. Farmers in the Kyzylorda Region have switched to less moisture-intensive crops due to soil moisture deficits. However, this year, the Kyzylorda Region has restored soil moisture almost from scratch, with farmers mainly planting alfalfa (a crucial forage crop) and potatoes.

Fishing is still the primary source of income for around 70% of the Amanotkel villagers, even though only two out of the 24 rural areas in the Aral district are involved in agriculture, cultivating 200 hectares of fields. Amanotkel villager, Marat Saparov, used to be a fisherman but had to switch to farming due to the Aral Sea's desiccation. Currently, the Aral Sea has 15 species of fish, with an annual catch limit of around 7,000 tons. Repairing the Kokaral dam is also expected to contribute to successful fishing, with repairs already underway.

Furthermore, two canals from Lake Karashalan and one more branch from the Saryteren Canal are expected to lower the water's salinity, which will increase the population of commercial and valuable fish species in the Aral Sea and its surrounding lakes. This will result in increased fish production in the coming years. Kazakhstan is closely collaborating with partners from the European Union, USAID, World Bank, and other international organizations to revive the Aral Sea and its ecosystem.

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