TASHKENT - A roundtable discussion on water security in Central Asia in the context of climate change was held at the International Institute of Central Asia, Daryo.uz reports.
The meeting took place ahead of the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, which will take place on April 22 in Astana.
Participants noted that Afghanistan has long been largely absent from general water agreements in the region, despite a significant portion of the Amu Darya River's flow originating in its territory.
Abdul Hai Qanit, Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, noted that Kabul is ready for cooperation.
"Afghanistan adheres to the principle of fair and reasonable water use. We view water not as a source of conflict, but as an instrument for regional cooperation," he emphasized.
According to experts, Afghanistan's participation will help make water distribution more transparent and equitable for all countries in the region. However, there are already serious risks: by 2050, the flow of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers could decrease by up to 15%, while water demand will increase by 20-30%.
Practical cooperation was also discussed. In March 2023, negotiations between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan on the construction of the Koshtepa Canal were held in Kabul. Following these negotiations, a joint working group was established, which has already held two meetings.
It is expected that the canal, once completed, will not have a negative impact on Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Furthermore, the parties are interested in further cooperation, including in the development of agriculture and the implementation of water-saving technologies.
In particular, Uzbekistan plans to use artificial precipitation technologies and implement water-saving technologies on 80% of agricultural land by 2028.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
April 16, 2026