Central Asian Leaders Back International Day for the Aral Sea and Its Main Rivers

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the founding countries of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. The presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan arrived in Astana to take part. What has already been achieved in restoring the Aral ecosystem, and what the countries plan to do next, is outlined in this Orda.kz report.

According to Tokayev, joint efforts have already produced certain results in restoring the ecosystem of the North Aral Sea.

The increase in the volume of water in the sea from 18.9 to 23.5 cubic kilometers has had a positive effect on fisheries and, more broadly, on the socio-economic situation in the Aral region. A unique natural and scientific site, the Aral Geopark, has been created. The project’s main goal is to preserve the natural, environmental and historical heritage of the Aral Sea. Work is now underway to include the site in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network.

At the same time, major environmental threats remain. The climate in the Aral region has changed significantly, rainfall has decreased, and dust storms have become more frequent.

Water consumption, meanwhile, continues to rise steadily. More than 80% of all water resources are used in agriculture, while losses in irrigation systems remain unacceptably high.

 Tokayev said one of the urgent tasks is the introduction of a unified automated monitoring system in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya basins.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have already begun automating 10 sites in the Syr Darya basin. This experience could be scaled up across the entire Aral Sea basin.he said.

The head of state spoke in favor of strengthening the role of the fund so that it can more effectively address issues of water, the environment and sustainable development in the interests of all Central Asian countries.

He also called for support for the initiative to create an International Water Organization within the UN. He added that separate segments of UN-Water could be based in several capitals of Central Asian countries.

You are all competent and experienced people, and you understand very well the importance of the water issue. If there is no water in the region, there will be no Central Asian states here. If there is water, the lives of our young people will become better and brighter. As they say, water is life.Tokayev told the other presidents.

Following the summit, the parties signed several documents, including one declaring March 26 the International Day of the Aral Sea and the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers.

Original author: Oksana Matviyenko

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