The 5th Meeting of the Zarafshan River Basin Council Has Started in Kashkadarya Region

Shakhrisabz District, Kashkadarya Region
May 20, 2026

The 5th Meeting of the Zarafshan River Basin Council (RBC) has officially started in Kashkadarya Region within the framework of the project “Climate Resilient Integrated Water Resources Management in the Zarafshan River Basin” (ZRB Project).

The event brings together all Council members, representatives of relevant government agencies, project partners, international organizations, and experts. This time, representatives of the “Basin Women’s Forum” from Sughd Province, Tajikistan, also joined the meeting to exchange experiences and learn more about the practices and activities of the Zarafshan RBC in Uzbekistan.

Yesterday, the first day of the meeting was dedicated to a field visit to several project sites implemented within the framework of the ZRB Project. Representatives of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) also participated in the field trip together with the Council members.

During the visit, participants explored several sites in Kashkadarya Region.

The first stop was the upper water intake structure of the “Qoraqo‘ja-2” inter-farm canal in Shakhrisabz District. Specialists explained the connection between the Kashkadarya and Zarafshan river basins and presented ongoing efforts aimed at improving water distribution and increasing water use efficiency.

The second site was the “Paxtakor” pumping station within the Amu-Kashkadarya irrigation system. Participants learned about the station’s operations, technical capacities, and ongoing modernization efforts aimed at ensuring more reliable and sustainable water supply.

The final stop of the field visit was School No. 20 in Khoja Kuroson village, where participants were introduced to environmental education initiatives and activities aimed at raising awareness among youth about water conservation and environmental protection.

The field visit provided a valuable opportunity not only to observe practical project results on the ground, but also to discuss future cooperation and next steps among all stakeholders involved.

Today, the main session of the 5th RBC Meeting will take place, where participants will discuss the Council’s achievements over the past six months, institutional development of the RBC, the current situation analysis of the Zarafshan River Basin, and future plans and joint initiatives.

Additional information:

Nodirbek Rahimjonov - CAREC Country Director in Uzbekistan, uzbekistan@carececo.org