A high-level meeting of Central Asian countries on the rational use of the water resources of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers took place on 7 October in the ‘Awaza’ National Tourist Zone. This was reported by the news agency TDH.

The meeting was attended by heads of relevant ministries and experts from the water management sector. The main focus was on coordinating inter-state cooperation in the field of water use.

Participants discussed compliance with agreements relating to the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins, the modernisation of water management infrastructure and the introduction of water-saving technologies. Proposals included expanding the use of drip irrigation, lining canals with concrete and digitising the monitoring of cross-border river flows.

The activities of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination were considered separately, as were ways of improving the effectiveness of their work.

The agenda included environmental projects aimed at preventing soil salinisation and desertification, as well as finding a balance between the interests of hydropower and irrigated agriculture.

The participants also supported Turkmenistan’s initiative to establish a Regional Centre for Climate Change Technologies in Central Asia.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed on approaches to further cooperation in the field of water and environmental sustainability in the region.