Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan Shavkat Khamrayev have signed an intergovernmental agreement on the joint management and rational use of transboundary rivers and canals.
The agreement, signed on November 15 in Tashkent, establishes mechanisms for cooperation on transboundary rivers and canals that provide water to the population and agriculture of both countries.
The document regulates coordination of the operation of interstate water management facilities, regular joint inspections, and preventive measures to ensure their reliable operation and prevent emergency situations.
The agreement includes the development of a joint automated system for metering transboundary water flows, which will improve control over water resource use and strengthen trust between the water management agencies of the two countries.
The document provides for coordinated measures to modernize and repair water management infrastructure, reduce water losses, implement water-saving technologies, and improve the reclamation of irrigated farmland.
The two countries will also coordinate efforts to prevent and mitigate the impacts of floods, droughts, and other natural disasters.
“This Agreement strengthens trust between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, improves water security in border regions, promotes agricultural development, and strengthens the environmental stability. The document is a significant contribution to the development of water diplomacy in Central Asia,” stated Kazakh Minister Nurzhigitov.
Kazakhstan’s agriculture, particularly in its arid southern regions, depends heavily on irrigation water from upstream Central Asian neighbors — Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
According to the Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan earlier agreed on the supply of more than 16 billion cubic meters of Uzbek water from October 2024 to October 2025.
Uzbekistan had supplied to Kazakhstan 12.6 billion cubic meters of that amount between October 2024 and April 1, 2025.
Water from Uzbekistan is used to irrigate farmland in the southern regions of Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh ministry also reported that about 1.8 billion cubic meters of water received from Uzbekistan was directed to the North Aral Sea.
“Water diplomacy and international cooperation are among the key areas of work of our ministry. The distribution and management of transboundary waters, the exchange of experience, and the joint implementation of advanced technologies play an important role in ensuring water security throughout Central Asia,” Nurzhigitov said.
