Shavkat Mirziyoyev elected IFAS president for 2027–2029 as leaders sign Astana Declaration

Mirziyoyev addressed a meeting of the Council of Heads of Founder States of IFAS, chaired by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and attended by leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as well as IFAS Executive Committee Chairman Askhat Orazbay.

The meeting reviewed the results of Kazakhstan’s 2023–2026 chairmanship and discussed strategies to improve environmental, water management, and socio-economic conditions across the Aral Sea basin. In his address, Mirziyoyev described IFAS as a "unique regional organization" whose role is becoming increasingly vital amid climate change and rising water consumption.

"According to expert estimates, the water deficit in the Aral Sea basin could almost double to 20 billion cubic meters per year by 2040. This poses severe risks to drinking water supplies, the environment, agriculture, energy production, and social stability," President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted.

He highlighted low water-use efficiency across Central Asia, pointing out that regional agriculture consumes nearly three cubic meters of water to generate one dollar of added value – roughly twice the global average. Mirziyoyev detailed ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan, such as the implementation of water-saving technologies across 60% of irrigated land, the concreting of 40% of the canal network, and the modernization of pumping stations, which has reduced energy use in the sector by nearly 30%. A unified digital database covering more than 600,000 users and 4 million hectares is also under development.

According to the presidency, these measures already save more than 10 billion cubic meters of water annually, with savings projected to reach 15 billion cubic meters by 2030.

Looking forward to Uzbekistan’s chairmanship starting in 2027, Mirziyoyev stated that Tashkent aims to transform the Fund into a driver of regional integration. His priorities include strengthening the organization’s institutional and legal frameworks and expanding the powers of its various bodies. He also called for Kyrgyzstan to resume full participation in IFAS, suggesting that its involvement is essential for more balanced, long-term decision-making.

Among other proposals, the president suggested aligning IFAS’s work with regional consultative meetings, introducing key performance indicators into the fourth Aral Sea Basin Program, and expanding the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund to cover the entire basin. He also stressed the need for broader regional cooperation, including engagement with Afghanistan, to develop a long-term legal framework for water distribution.

"Engineering solutions alone will not suffice unless society’s attitude toward water changes. We must strive to make the rational use of water a daily habit and a shared cultural norm through continuous education, from pre-school to professional training," the president added.

He also proposed launching a regional “Water of the Future” program focused on practical training in water-saving technologies, and reiterated an initiative to declare 2026–2036 as the “Decade of Practical Actions for the Rational Use of Water in Central Asia.”

At the conclusion of the summit, leaders signed the Astana Declaration, agreed to mark March 26 as the International Day of the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, and confirmed Mirziyoyev as IFAS president for 2027–2029.