Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- For the states of Central Asia, issues related to the careful and rational use of water resources are among the priority tasks, since they directly affect the well-being and sustainable development of the countries of the region.

At the Uzbek-Turkmen talks held in Tashkent, the leaders of the two countries paid great attention to the issues of comprehensive deepening and building up cooperation in the water, energy and environmental spheres. 

As the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted at the final press conference, today Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are “solving water issues in the spirit of good neighborliness, mutual understanding and taking into account each other’s interests on a long-term basis.”

A demonstration of this approach was the signing during the visit of the intergovernmental Agreement on the management, protection and rational use of the water resources of the Amudarya River, which regulates all areas of interaction between the two countries related to the transboundary river, including taking into account the negative impact of climate change on the entire Central Asian region.

The document adopted by the parties in its content complements the existing agreements related to water management issues between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, decisions of IFAS, ICWC and ICSD, as well as other international agreements to which the two countries are parties, and contributes to further strengthening of water security, not only in a bilateral format but also regionally.

The agreement reached for the most part reflects the current high level of mutual understanding between the countries and is fully consistent with the spirit of strategic partnership.

At the present stage, close cooperation between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in the water management sector, environmental issues and environmental protection can rightly be called exemplary.

The joint high-level statements adopted by the parties emphasize the importance of continuing an open dialogue in this area, strengthening mutual understanding and developing constructive cooperation, searching for mutually acceptable, fair and rational solutions.

In addition to this, it should also be noted that in recent years countries have accumulated positive experience in solving all existing water management issues. Important in this context is the signing in 2021 of the Agreement on the establishment of a joint Intergovernmental Water Commission. To date, two of its meetings have already been held, where the parties constructively discuss and resolve all topical issues in this direction. 

In the same context, it is important to consider the unity of approaches of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in the issue of reforming the five-sided platform, which is extremely important for the whole of Central Asia - IFAS, designed to deal with the issues of rational use of the region’s water resources.

Following the results of the last summit, held in Turkmenbashi in 2018, the Presidents in a joint communique expressed the intention of the parties to work closely for the benefit of the development, prosperity and stability of all states of the Central Asian region.

Undoubtedly, the results of the first visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to Uzbekistan and his negotiations with the Leader of our country Shavkat Mirziyoyev will lay a solid foundation for the consistent building up of relations between the two friendly countries, contribute to sustainable development throughout Central Asia, including in the water, energy and environmental sectors. spheres.

Fayziev Sherzod Miraglamovich

Head of the Department of the International Institute of Central Asia