On December 11, 2025, the 8th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group (Commission) on Environmental Protection and Water Quality in the Syr Darya River Basin was held in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan. The meeting was organized by the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) as part of the Blue Peace Central Asia project. Representatives of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Turkmenistan participated in the meeting as observers.
Kydyrberdi Bekov, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MENR RK), delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of the MENR RK. In his speech, he noted:
"Climate change is leading to a reduction in river flow, which in turn has a negative impact on the quality of water resources. The Republic of Kazakhstan gives priority attention to issues of water quality and water security, which requires coordinated action, including the development of intergovernmental cooperation."
Kydyrberdi Bekov also stressed that the Syr Darya River is of key importance for the ecosystems, economy, and social sphere of many regions of Kazakhstan. In this regard, the joint decisions developed within the framework of the Working Group are of particular importance for achieving the goals set in the field of environmental protection of the Syr Darya River basin.
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Iskandar Kutbidinov, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Co-Chair of the Working Group, also delivered a welcoming speech. In his speech, he drew attention to the following:
"This year, Samarkand hosted the first International Climate Forum 'Central Asia in the Face of Climate Challenges', which highlighted the need to strengthen regional cooperation. The summit also welcomed the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to international agreements, including the Protocol on Water and Health."
Thus, the importance of the Joint Working Group's activities aimed at protecting the environment and water resources from the adverse effects of human activity, as well as minimizing its consequences, was noted, which has a positive impact on the drinking water supply for the population of coastal countries.
Both Parties expressed their gratitude to the CAREC and the Blue Peace Central Asia project for their assistance in organizing the meeting and for their contribution to the further promotion of intergovernmental cooperation in the field of environmental protection and water resources management.
During the meeting, the Parties reviewed and discussed information on the implementation of the Commission's Work Plan for 2025. One of the key issues on the agenda was the continuation of coordinated monitoring of water quality according to 31 physical and chemical indicators at approved observation points, as well as joint water sampling at agreed river sections. The members of the Commission noted the convergence of the water quality monitoring results. In addition, the Parties positively assessed the results of the inventory of pollution sources; monitoring data on individual pollution sources, collectors, and tributaries located in the territories of both countries were presented.
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The meeting also presented the plans for the Blue Peace Central Asia project until 2029, including support for the Commission's activities, the development of transboundary cooperation, and the involvement of the expert potential of the academic community of Central Asian countries to strengthen the scientific component of the Commission's work.
During the discussions, particular attention was paid to improving data exchange and state environmental control practices. The parties agreed that in 2026, the list of water quality indicators to be jointly monitored will be expanded to include a general (visual) assessment of water status.
In order to deepen cooperation and develop joint project proposals aimed at improving the environmental condition throughout the Syr Darya River basin, the members of the bilateral Commission expressed their readiness to continue holding follow-up meetings in an expanded format with the involvement of other countries in the region.
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In conclusion, the parties approved the Work Plan of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group for 2026, which provides for the continuation of coordinated monitoring of the water quality of the Syr Darya River, regular data exchange, joint capacity-building and experience-sharing activities to develop cooperation within the Working Group.
For reference
Since 2019, regular meetings of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group (Commission) on environmental protection and water quality in the Syr Darya River basin have been held with the support of the Blue Peace Central Asia initiative, funded by Switzerland.
The Commission was established in accordance with the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on cooperation in the field of environmental protection and rational nature management dated June 2, 1997, and the Strategy for Economic Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2017-2019.
The establishment of the Commission was an important step in the implementation of joint efforts by the countries to preserve and maintain the environmental sustainability of transboundary cooperation, and also laid the foundation for long-term cooperation on water quality issues in the region.
New phase of the Blue Peace Central Asia project (2025-2029) The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has been implementing the project since 2025 through a consortium consisting of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in strategic partnership with CAREC.
Additional information:
Irina Yugay - Project Manager, Acting Manager of the Water Initiatives Support Program, CAREC, wisspecialist@carececo.org .