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Central Asia leaders call for joint policy on water issues

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  • Central Asia leaders call for joint policy on water issues
  • August 10, 2024
  • Article Body Text Almaty, Kazakhstan — <p>Central Asian leaders met in Kazakhstan on Friday seeking to agree on a shared policy on water management in a region where the scarce resource causes frequent disputes.</p> <p>Interruptions to water supplies are a regular occurrence in the five ex-Soviet Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – whose territory is 80% desert and steppe.</p> <p>Hosting the summit, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said it was &quot;necessary to develop a new consolidated water policy, based on equal and fair use of water and strict fulfilment of obligations,&quot; the presidential website said.</p> <p>The way water access is shared in the Central Asian states has remained the same since the Soviet era and is fraught with problems: those countries with more water exchange it in return for electricity from the more energy-rich countries.</p> <p>Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which have more water than the others, have often clashed over control of supplies.</p> <p>Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov on Friday called for the creation of a &quot;mutually economically beneficial mechanism for water and energy cooperation,&quot; taking into account &quot;the limited amount of water resources and their importance for the whole region.&quot;</p> <p>Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to adopt a &quot;regional strategy on the rational use of water resources of cross-border rivers.&quot;</p> <p>The volume of water in the main Central Asian rivers, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, is expected to continue falling in the years to come, according to experts.</p> <p>Shortages of water, along with global warming, is compounded by significant waste due to outdated infrastructure.</p> <p>After three years of tensions, the Central Asian states are now trying to coordinate efforts in numerous areas, particularly water management, amid growing demand for agriculture and energy generation in a region with a population of about 80 million.</p> <p>Another concern for the Central Asian governments is the construction by the Taliban of the Qosh Tepa Canal to irrigate northern Afghanistan, which could further threaten water supplies.</p>
  • Content Type Text
  • Language English
  • NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
  • Subtitles / Dubbing Available No
  • Network VOA
  • Embargo Date August 9, 2024 22:30 EDT
  • Byline Agence France-Presse
  • Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English
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