Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are focusing on cooperation in water resources and energy

At the site of the cleanup and restoration of the Dostic Canal, data from automatic water level monitoring stations are flowing across the border, creating a new landscape for water resources cooperation in Central Asia.

The 13th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Deepening Cooperation and the 2nd meeting of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Joint Working Group on Coordinating the Development of Mutually Beneficial and Sustainable Hydropower Cooperation Mechanisms in Central Asia were held in Turkestan. Participants discussed key issues in bilateral water resources, water, and energy cooperation, including the cleanup and restoration of the Dostic Canal.

They agreed to exchange experiences in introducing and using water-saving technologies and to launch a project to install 10 automatic water level monitoring stations on the Syr Darya River. These stations will be developed with the support of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) to ensure transparency and accuracy in the allocation of transboundary water resources.

01. Meeting Focus: Practical Cooperation in Transboundary Water Management

This meeting brought together key figures including Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan; Shavkat Khamlayev, Minister of Water Management of Uzbekistan; and Nurarhan Kosherov, Governor of Turkestan Region.

Participants focused on key issues in bilateral water resources and energy cooperation, including the cleanup and restoration of the Dostic Canal.

As a vital water infrastructure shared by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the canal's maintenance is crucial for regional agricultural irrigation. This cooperation demonstrates both sides' commitment to advancing water resource sharing and management at a practical level.

The most technologically advanced aspect of the meeting was the launch of a project to install 10 automatic water level monitoring stations on the Syr Darya River (5 for each country). This project, supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), aims to ensure transparency and accuracy in transboundary water resource allocation through modern technology.

As a vital transboundary river in Central Asia, the accurate measurement and equitable allocation of the Syr Darya's water volume directly impacts agriculture and livelihoods in both countries.

02 Consolidation and Development of Regional Hydropower Cooperation Mechanisms

Kazakhstan's Minister of Water Resources, Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, emphasized that the intergovernmental agreement on joint management and rational utilization of cross-border water resources facilities, signed last year in the presence of the two heads of state, is a "historic milestone in Central Asian water diplomacy."

This agreement establishes a coordinated approach to cooperation and clarifies key areas for future cooperation, providing institutional guarantees for bilateral water cooperation.

This breakthrough builds on cooperation from 2023, when Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan reached a consensus on energy cooperation parameters, agreeing to support each other in the hydropower sector.

The three parties decided to balance seasonal demand by coordinating electricity supply and reservoir operation: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will supply Kyrgyzstan with winter electricity to enable it to store water in the Toktogul Reservoir; in return, Kyrgyzstan will supply irrigation water to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan during the growing season.

Regional cooperation will be further deepened in 2025. The energy and water departments of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan signed a water and electricity swap agreement, clarifying the responsibilities of each party in ensuring the release of water from the Toktogul Reservoir.

According to the agreement, Kyrgyzstan will receive electricity from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan; in exchange, Kyrgyzstan will release additional water from the Toktogul Reservoir to supply these two countries.

03 Global Connectivity of Water Cooperation in Central Asia

Water cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan extends beyond the bilateral level, connecting with broader international initiatives and partners. The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)'s support for the Syr Darya water level monitoring station project is just one example of international participation in water governance in Central Asia.

In September 2024, German Chancellor Scholz visited Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and the two sides signed eight bilateral cooperation documents covering topics such as migration and sustainable water use.

A report by the German Foundation for Science and Politics shows that Germany has long been promoting cooperation with Central Asia within the European Union.

The Kazakh president's initiative to establish an international water organization within the UN framework and to formulate a framework convention on water use in Central Asia demonstrates the efforts of Central Asian countries to address regional water issues through multilateral mechanisms.

If realized, this initiative will provide a more formalized international cooperation framework for water resource management in Central Asia.

China's green development projects in Central Asia have also provided new ideas for regional water resource cooperation. The Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in cooperation with the Aral Sea International Innovation Center of Uzbekistan, is conducting a pilot demonstration of "photovoltaic + cotton" water-saving irrigation around Nukus.

This technology has increased the average yield of seed cotton in cotton fields to 307 kg per mu (approximately 0.067 hectares), far exceeding the local average of 120 kg per mu, while using only about 70% of the local water consumption.

04 Challenges and Prospects: The Future Path of Water Diplomacy in Central Asia

Despite significant progress in water resource cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, water resource management in Central Asia still faces severe challenges from climate change.

Central Asia is currently facing increasingly severe drought, which is seriously affecting crop growth in the region. Data shows that Uzbekistan's wheat production decreased by 10% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025.

Issues such as fluctuating river flows and increasing pressure on the energy system highlight the costs of climate change and reinforce the necessity for coordinated action.

Regarding water resource cooperation mechanisms, Central Asian countries are shifting from temporary arrangements to institutionalized cooperation. In the past, water resource issues often became a source of mutual blame, but now they are discussed more within a framework of shared risk management.

The easing of political tensions following the resolution of border issues played a significant role in this, allowing parties to discuss water and energy issues at a lower level of mutual distrust than before.

Significant progress was made in 2025 in areas such as the expansion of regional hydropower modernization projects, the introduction of digital water metering systems, and cautious steps taken to coordinate long-term use patterns of transboundary rivers.

Kazakhstan plans to sign a transboundary river water resource allocation agreement with Uzbekistan and China, and is currently working with Uzbekistan on an agreement regarding the joint management, use, and allocation of water resources in transboundary water bodies.

In November 2025, Uzbek President Mirziyoyev and visiting Kazakh President Tokayev held talks, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in energy, water resource monitoring, and environmental protection. This summit injected new momentum into future cooperation between the two countries.

Almost simultaneously, the trilateral water and electricity swap agreement reached by Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan became an important manifestation of Central Asian regional cooperation shifting from "internal integration" to "outward connectivity."

With the implementation of the agreement and the advancement of related infrastructure construction, the energy supply chain and agricultural production system in Central Asia will become more robust, which will have a positive impact on regional economic development, cross-border trade, and investment decisions.

As Kazakh Energy Minister Akhenjenov Yerlan stated, "Every task in the hydropower sector requires precise execution and strict adherence to the timetable."