The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, the UN Development Programme in Kazakhstan, and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) signed a letter of intent on June 28, focusing on joint development projects in multi-purpose water resources management.
Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan highlighted the Ministry's focus on modernizing the country's water management system through a comprehensive plan and international cooperation, aiming to implement large-scale projects for long-term benefits.
"Our Ministry faces many important tasks, one of which is the modernization and improvement of the country’s water resources management system. For this purpose, a concept and its comprehensive plan outlining specific measures for the development of water infrastructure in Kazakhstan and other large-scale projects were developed and approved. We intend to actively cooperate with international organizations and financial institutions, adopt the best practices of other countries, and jointly implement large projects that will bring benefits for decades to come. Today's agreement is another step in this direction,” Nurzhigitov noted.
Currently, climate change is worsening water scarcity, leading to an increase in floods, droughts, and other water-related disasters, with renewable water resources projected to decline by 20% for every 1°C rise in global temperatures. Experts estimate that 80 percent of the climate change impacts are water-related.
Central Asia, already vulnerable to climate change due to its arid conditions, is one of the most affected regions. The region is highly dependent on water resources, with most of its water consumption coming from the agricultural sector, which is associated with inefficient irrigation practices.
Kazakhstan is experiencing an increase in water-related disasters, such as severe floods and escalated water shortages due to new infrastructure projects in neighboring regions. These challenges necessitate improved irrigation and water management strategies to mitigate future risks.
“We are on the verge of a water shortage in Central Asia – this is a complex regional challenge, but we are tackling it. It is this call that we want to convey to all interested parties. We must act very quickly and together. We have only five years to get the region ready and avoid severe water shortages. To timely inform all interested parties, we have done significant work and will keep working to expand the network of partnerships,” said Nikolay Podguzov, EDB Board Chairperson.
As part of this agreement, it is planned that, under the EDB technical support in the amount of $5.3mn, a number of initiatives will be implemented in the field of water sector digitalization, development of regional training centers for modern irrigation technologies, piloting of modern water-saving technologies, and development of the legal and institutional framework for the water sector.
“Globally, the water sector suffers from insufficient funding and investment; Today, less than 10% of global investment goes into water infrastructure. In this context, we are encouraged by this partnership, which we believe will help address complex issues in the field of water resources management, strengthen climate resilience, and develop regional cooperation in the countries of Central Asia under the water agenda,” highlighted Sukhrob Khojimatov, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.
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