Uzbekistan hosted a trilateral meeting of energy ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in Tashkent on February 13, 2026, focusing on water and energy resource management and ensuring stable operation of the regional power system.
The talks brought together Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibraev and Uzbekistan’s Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov. Tajikistan’s Energy Minister Daler Juma was also invited to participate in the discussions.
The parties reviewed the current state and future prospects of cooperation in managing shared water and energy resources. Discussions centred on coordinating the operation of generating capacities, complying with agreed water usage parameters and developing joint approaches to maintaining balance within the regional energy system.
Particular attention was given to seasonal load management, mutual support mechanisms and maintaining stable water regimes in transboundary rivers in the interest of energy security.
Officials emphasised the importance of prompt coordination and constructive dialogue to ensure the reliability of Central Asia’s interconnected water and energy system.
Following the meeting, the sides signed a trilateral protocol formalizing the agreements reached and reaffirming their commitment to continued cooperation in the spirit of good neighborliness.
In 2025, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan agreed on coordinated measures for winter electricity support, water storage management at the Toktogul reservoir and regional energy efficiency, formalizing commitments in a tripartite protocol signed in Almaty.
At the same time, debates over cost-sharing have surfaced in the region, with a Kyrgyz lawmaker previously raising concerns about the financial burden of maintaining reservoirs supplying irrigation water to neighboring countries amid climate pressures and water shortages.
