Afghanistan Engages in Regional Water Cooperation Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 25–26 March, Tashkent hosted the international forum Tashkent Water Week 2026. The event was notable for its inclusive approach, bringing together government officials, representatives of international and regional organizations, the private sector, and scientific and expert communities.

The main discussion focused on the adoption of technologies and innovations for water resource management amid climate change and increasing pressure on water infrastructure.

Murad Uzakov, Head of the Center at the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, emphasized that as climate challenges intensify, coordinated efforts to manage water resources effectively have become a regional priority. “In recent years, natural, anthropogenic, and technological processes have increasingly impacted the region’s water-climate balance,” he noted, warning that these trends pose significant challenges to socio-economic development, ecological well-being, and regional security.

Experts stressed the need to rethink approaches to rational water use and strengthen cooperation, highlighting the existing political trust that opens opportunities for mutually beneficial solutions. Most contentious issues regarding water infrastructure in border areas have been resolved, and regimes and water withdrawal volumes from transboundary rivers are being coordinated.

Regional countries have also moved toward implementing joint projects. Uzakov cited the successful collaboration of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan on the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant and the shared management of the Naryn River’s water and energy resources. Special attention has been given to water-saving technologies and balancing water and energy sector needs. In Uzbekistan, irrigated land using modern water-saving systems now covers 2.6 million hectares (60% of the total), compared with just 19,000 hectares before 2017, saving approximately 2.5 billion cubic meters of water annually.

Uzakov highlighted Afghanistan’s special role in regional water cooperation, emphasizing significant opportunities for collaboration in irrigation system modernization, water monitoring, innovation, joint research, and workforce training.

He concluded that the efficiency of regional water resource management depends on coordinated efforts and joint action, expressing confidence that shared expertise and collaborative studies will foster best practices in the sector.

The forum is organized under the initiative of the Government of Uzbekistan with support from the Ministry of Water Resources, and coordinated by Iteca Exhibitions, TIIIMSKh, the Center for Progressive Reforms, and other leading scientific and analytical institutions. The Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan serves as a strategic partner.