Kazakh PM Outlines Aral Sea Fund Priorities
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov met with leaders of Central Asian delegations on Sep. 18 during the first session of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, chaired by Kazakhstan, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
“President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has stressed that saving the Aral Sea should be a priority for long-term international cooperation. The fund’s key mission is the comprehensive and rational use and protection of Central Asia’s water and energy resources, considering their socio-economic, energy, irrigation, and environmental importance,” said Bektenov.
Bektenov emphasized the critical role of regional collaboration and outlined the fund's key objectives during Kazakhstan's chairmanship, as established by the leaders of member states. He advocated for the creation of a comprehensive and mutually advantageous water and energy cooperation framework for Central Asia, taking into account the interests of all parties involved. This framework will incorporate advanced digital technologies and satellite remote sensing data to enhance cooperation and safeguard essential water resources.
The initiatives will focus on developing and implementing a unified automated system for the accounting, monitoring, management, and distribution of water resources within the Aral Sea basin, with the goal of addressing regional needs and preventing energy shortages in the fall and winter, as well as irrigation water shortages in the summer.
