Uzbekistan to Supply 16 Billion Cubic Meters of Water to Kazakhstan by October 1
Uzbekistan has agreed to supply 16 billion cubic meters of water to Kazakhstan by October 1, marking an increase of 1 billion cubic meters compared to the previous water management year. The agreement was reached during the 12th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Bilateral Water Cooperation between the two countries.
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Water Management, Shavkat Khamraev, discussed key aspects of transboundary water management and cooperation. According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Uzbekistan supplied 15 billion cubic meters of water to Kazakhstan from October 2023 to October 2024.
As part of the new agreement, Uzbekistan will also ensure the stable supply of water through the Dostyk Canal during the 2025 irrigation season, which is crucial for agriculture in Kazakhstan.
In addition, both countries will collaborate on maintenance work for interstate canals to enhance water distribution, particularly benefiting the agricultural regions of Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region and Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region.
Another key topic of discussion was the automation of water monitoring along the Syr Darya River. The two sides have identified ten initial monitoring points—five in each country—where automated systems will be installed. The technical specifications for a feasibility study have been finalized, and a follow-up meeting with international organizations is scheduled for February to discuss further steps.
“We have reached an agreement on the technical aspects of the project. In February, our joint working group will meet with representatives of international organizations to discuss the next steps,” said Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov.
