Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan Discuss Water Management Cooperation at 7th Joint Commission Meeting

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Bakyt Torobaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, participated in the 7th meeting of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek Joint Water Management Commission, held in the city of Manas.

During the meeting, the parties discussed key issues of bilateral cooperation, including the rational use of water resources, ensuring water and energy security in the context of climate change, and prospects for regional development.

Torobaev emphasized that relations between the two countries have reached the level of strategic partnership based on trust and mutual support. “Thanks to the decisive political will of our presidents, complex issues, including those related to the state border, have been successfully resolved, strengthening trust and good-neighborly relations between our peoples,” he noted.

Kyrgyzstan, situated at the headwaters of the region’s main rivers, consistently fulfills its obligations to supply downstream countries with the necessary water volumes, contributing to food and environmental security in Central Asia. “We view water not as a source of disputes but as a foundation for mutual understanding, friendship, and sustainable development,” Torobaev added.

To enhance the effectiveness of cooperation, the Kyrgyz side proposed the implementation of drip and automated irrigation systems in border areas, the creation of a “Green Belt of Friendship” along the border to restore forests and combat desertification, and further development of interaction between authorized water and energy management bodies.

The parties also highlighted that the implementation of major projects, such as the construction of the Kambarata HPP-1 and the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, opens broad opportunities for strengthening the region’s energy potential and transport connectivity.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides confirmed their intention to continue strengthening cooperation and implementing new joint initiatives. “I am confident that our joint efforts will ensure sustainable development and prosperity for our countries,” Bakyt Torobaev summarized.