Central Asia Prepares for the Meeting of the Council of Heads of Founder States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea

A meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was held in Astana, chaired by the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov. The meeting brought together vice-premiers and relevant ministers from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The main objective was to summarize the agreements reached ahead of the meeting of the Council of Heads of IFAS Founder States, scheduled to take place in Astana on April 22.

One of the key topics of discussion was the digitalization of water accounting. Olzhas Bektenov proposed that the countries of the region move beyond mere declarations to a real water control instrument and implement a unified system for the distribution and monitoring of resources in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins. Joint digital reporting would eliminate misunderstandings regarding water consumption volumes and serve as a foundation of trust between neighbors.

As Kazakhstan concludes its chairmanship of IFAS, it supports the creation of a new contractual and legal framework. The proposed Central Asian Framework Convention on Water Use should solidify three key principles: the rational use of water resources, the prevention of transboundary harm, and ensuring the free exchange of hydrological information.

For Turkmenistan, as for other downstream countries, the effectiveness of IFAS is of great importance. The April summit in Astana should serve as a turning point for the Fund’s activities. It aims to transform the Fund into a modern structure capable of adopting and, most importantly, implementing concrete technological solutions for the ecological future of the region.