A delegation led by Lee Jong-Guk, Executive Director of the Republic of Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, visited Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Water Management on July 31. The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation in the field of water management between Uzbekistan and South Korea.
Minister Shavkat Khamraev of Uzbekistan welcomed the delegation and provided an overview of ongoing reforms in the water sector. He highlighted the implementation of a modern management system and the results achieved under the current water management framework. The minister detailed recent efforts to improve water management, including the use of advanced technologies.
The discussion addressed the collaboration with South Korea's State Corporation of Water Resources (K-water). Notable initiatives include the installation of 61 "Smart Water" devices at major water management facilities in Uzbekistan, funded by grants from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The two sides also discussed the potential for further cooperation, leveraging the friendly relations between Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Water Management and South Korea’s water agencies.
Lee Jong-guk expressed interest in strengthening the partnership and shared insights into South Korea’s approach to water resource management. This includes the digitalization of water management systems, adoption of new technologies, and the development of training programs.
Earlier Daryo reported that Uzbekistan is set to implement a new Water Code to improve water management efficiency. Under this plan, water fund lands, including lakes, rivers, and streams, will be assigned to the Ministry of Water Resources and its regional bodies to centralize and optimize management. The proposed code features provisions for public-private partnerships (PPP) in the water sector, which is expected to boost investment and innovation. It also aims to simplify the permit process for water use, thereby promoting greater involvement from the private sector.
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