The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, the UNDP and the Eurasian Development Bank sign a letter of intent to cooperate in multi-purpose water management
28 June 2024, Almaty – Today, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, the UN Development Programme in Kazakhstan and the Eurasian Development Bank signed the letter of intent. The purpose of this cooperation is to implement joint development projects in multi-purpose water resources management.
“Our Ministry faces many important tasks, one of which is the modernization and improvement of the country’s water management system. For this purpose, a concept and its comprehensive plan outlining specific measures for the development of water infrastructure in Kazakhstan and other large-scale projects were developed and approved. We intend to actively cooperate with international organisations and financial institutions, adopt the best practices of other countries, and jointly implement large projects that will bring benefits for decades to come. Today’s agreement is another step in thisdirection,” noted Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation.
Currently, climate change is worsening water scarcity, leading to an increase in floods, droughts and other water-related disasters.Renewable water resources are projected to decline by 20% for every 1°C rise in global temperatures. Experts estimate that 80% of the climate change impacts are water-related.
Already vulnerable to climate change due to its arid conditions, Central Asia is one of the most affected regions. It is highly dependent on water resources, and the majority of its water consumption comes from the agricultural sector, which is associated with inefficient irrigation practices.
Kazakhstan is also experiencing an increase in water-related disasters, as evidenced by recent severe floods and escalating water shortages caused by new infrastructure projects in neighbouring regions. These issues necessitateimproved irrigation and water management strategies to mitigate future risks.
“We are on the verge of a water shortage in Central Asia – this is a complex regional challenge, but we are tackling it. This is the call we want to convey to all interested parties. We must act very quickly and together. We have only five years to get the region ready and avoid severe water shortages. To timely inform all interested parties, we have done significant work and will keep working to expand the network of partnerships,” said Nikolay Podguzov, Chairman of the EDB Management Board.
As part of this agreement, the EDB plans to allocate approximately US $5.3 million in technical assistance to implement severalinitiatives such as water sector digitalization, the development of regional training centres for state-of-the-art irrigation technologies, piloting modern water-saving technologies, and developing the legal and institutional framework for the water sector.
“Globally, the water sector suffers from insufficient funding and investment. Today, less than 10% of global investment goes into water infrastructure. In this context, we are encouraged by this partnership, which we believe will help address complex issues in water management, strengthen climate resilience, and develop regional cooperation in Central Asia under the water agenda,” highlighted Sukhrob Khojimatov, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in Kazakhstan.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 18 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. The EDB's charter capital totals US $7 billion. Its portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. The Bank adheres to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles in its operations.
The EDB Media Centre:
+7 (727) 244 40 44, ext. 6148 and 3730