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Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan: 10 years of cooperation in Chu and Talas River basins

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan jointly celebrated the River Day in the basins of the Chu and Talas Rivers on September 19 at the International Conference on the 10th anniversary of the Chu-Talas Water Commission coordinated in consort with the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food Industry and Melioration of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kerimaliev Zh, underlined the importance of cooperation on sustainable use of water resources of the Central Asian States, including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. “Economics of the Central Asian States considerably related to use of water resources. Over the last two decades the Central Asian States address problems of use of water resources in the Central Asia in close cooperation with the donors’ community, UN system including UNDP,” he said.

In his turn, the Vice Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nysanbayev E., emphasizes the importance of Chu-Talas Water Commission. “10 years of work of the Commission demonstrated its feasibility and developed mechanisms of cooperation between the departments of our countries are being successfully implemented,” he said. “Today, the Commission becomes an example of new relationships in mutual use of water resources in the Central Asia, though we are adopting best practices of the cross-border Basin of Sava River, the tributary of Danube.”

During the conference, the participants discussed the gained experience of 10-years cooperation and further steps in implementation of the Strategic Action Plan 2014. According to forecasts, the river flow of Chu and Talas Rivers may reduce up to 25-45 % in near 25-50 years due to climate changes. Climate change and its consequences as extremely dry and shallow years may greatly harm agriculture within these basins, may lead to complication of relations between the two countries, and increase the vulnerability of the population and ecosystems. To avoid possible negative impact it is needed to take timely measures on water saving, improvement of effectiveness of its use.

This is the essence of the intergovernmental Chu-Talas Water Commission established in 2006 by the agreement between the Governments of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The Commission developed proposals on participation interest of two countries in the use of water facilities in the basins of these rivers. A mathematical model of water resources distribution has been developed. Talas River was the first which used this model to distribute water resources of Kirov water reservoir between two states. Later, the similar model was developed for the upper part of Chu River. Two phases on automation of hydrotechnical units in Chu River basin. Now this work is passed into the third phase. The same work will be done on the territory of Kazakhstan. The Commission made the transboundary diagnostic analysis that revealed problems of use of transboundary waters such as quality of water, quantity of water, degradation of ecosystems. “The problem of water quality together with the degraded ecosystems of floodplain and lower reach is as problematic as quantity of water in the basins of Chu and Talas Rivers both in national and transboundary context,” says the Regional Coordinator of the GEF Project “Enabling Transboundary Cooperation and Integrated Water Resources Management in the Chu and Talas River Basins” implemented by UNDP in cooperation with UNECE. The Project help the Chu-Talas Water Commission to estimate main barriers and problems when managing two Rivers basins and to define next measure to address these problems. Now the Commission is developing the Strategic Action Plan (SAC) based on the transboundary diagnostic analysis. It comprises a set of practical deeds to improve water management in the basins of Chu and Talas Rivers for next 15 – 20 years. The GEF is ready to finance the SAC implementation when it will be adopted and signed by the Governments of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. 

“We express the hope that with the help of the UN system and other international partners, at the expense of goodwill, friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries and attraction of advanced world practice, the Chu-Talas Commission and cooperation on the basins of  Chu and Talas Rivers will be recognized worldwide and will be an example for other river basins in Central Asia,” said a.i. UNDP Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic Aliona Niculita.

“The further Commission’s success in these areas conditions sustainable development of our states, well-being of the population living on the territory of these river basins, it is around three millions of people,” said the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food Industry and Melioration of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kerimaliev Zh.

As a gesture of friendly relationships between countries, a rafting tour “The River Unites” was held for the participants of the conference. Nowhere is the teamwork is felt more acute than in the rafting over white waters of the Chu River.

The Conference was held under support of the GEF Project “Enabling Transboundary Cooperation and Integrated Water Resources Management in the Chu and Talas River Basins” implemented by UNDP in cooperation with UNECE. Representatives of the government agencies of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan supervising transboundary use of water resources, international organizations, experts and scientists participated in the International Conference.