In a significant step toward regional water cooperation, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have signed a protocol for the shared operation of the Bahri Tochik Water Reservoir from June to August 2025, during the region’s critical vegetation and irrigation period.
The agreement was formalized in Dubai on the sidelines of the International Glaciers Protection Conference, Kazinform News Agency reported.
The accord was signed by the water resources ministers of the three Central Asian nations and outlines a detailed schedule for water usage and distribution, aimed at ensuring equitable and efficient allocation among the riparian states.
Under the protocol, Kazakhstan will receive 491 million cubic meters of water during the peak agricultural season. The agreement seeks to mitigate regional water stress and improve coordination amid increasing climate variability and demand on shared river systems.
Regional Collaboration Amid Climate Challenges
“Kazakhstan is committed to the implementation of joint water management projects and the promotion of international water law principles,” said Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources. “Only through cooperation can we effectively respond to climate challenges.”
The Bahri Tochik reservoir, located in Tajikistan, plays a pivotal role in supplying water downstream to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, especially during the dry summer months. The protocol reflects a broader effort among Central Asian states to depoliticize water sharing and adopt cooperative mechanisms for sustainable transboundary water management.
A Broader Context of Regional Engagement
This trilateral agreement follows recent discussions in Tashkent, where the energy and water ministers of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan convened to address the interconnected operation of water and energy systems. The talks centered on minimizing disruptions during summer and optimizing resource use amid declining glacier-fed river flows.
As climate change continues to impact Central Asia’s freshwater availability, particularly from melting glaciers, regional frameworks like this protocol are seen as essential to maintaining agricultural productivity and avoiding tensions over shared water assets.
The agreement on Bahri Tochik is a notable example of pragmatic diplomacy in a region often challenged by complex water politics, and it may serve as a model for further cross-border cooperation on resource management.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced he may meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his upcoming visit to China in early Septe...
South Korea began dismantling loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korean messages along the border on Monday, its defence ministry said, as President...
More than 2,500 people have had to leave their homes in southern South Korean after torrential rains swept across the country during Sunday night, inu...
Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro gathered in São Paulo on Sunday (3 August), calling for justice reform and deno...
Democratic lawmakers in Texas said on Sunday they were leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to redraw the state's 38 congressional ...
South Korea began dismantling loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korean messages along the border on Monday, its defence ministry said, as President Lee Jae Myung’s administration moves to lower tensions with Pyongyang.
More than 2,500 people have had to leave their homes in southern South Korean after torrential rains swept across the country during Sunday night, inundating houses and roads in six major cities and provinces. Emergency shelters filled as families sought refuge.
Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro gathered in São Paulo on Sunday (3 August), calling for justice reform and denouncing legal cases against the far-right leader as politically motivated.
Democratic lawmakers in Texas said on Sunday they were leaving the state to deny Republicans the quorum needed to redraw the state's 38 congressional districts, a move Republicans are seeking to protect their narrow U.S. House majority in next year's midterm elections.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Iran has lifted all remaining airspace restrictions imposed during its 12-day conflict with Israel, restoring full domestic and international flight operations.
Hamas on Saturday firmly denied that it was willing to disarm, contradicting remarks made by U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff during his meeting with Israeli hostage families in Tel Aviv.
Around 250,000 tonnes of freight were transported via the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway in the first seven months of this year. The information was disclosed to journalists by Kadir Bozan, Chairman of the Kars Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Kazakhstan's economy expanded by 5% in 2024, outpacing the earlier forecast of 4.8%, according to the Ministry of National Economy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment