Kazakhstan continues its efforts to restore the North Aral Sea. Over the past 20 years, the area of the water body has increased by more than a third, while its water volume has nearly doubled. A new stage of the project is now being prepared jointly with the World Bank. It provides for the reconstruction of the Kokaral Dam. Over the next five to six years, the area of the sea is planned to increase to nearly 4,000 square kilometers, while the water volume is expected to reach 34 billion cubic meters. At the same time, efforts to green the dried-up seabed are continuing, with the area covered already exceeding one million hectares. Further restoration of the North Aral Sea will now largely depend on a stable inflow of water through the Syr Darya River and cooperation between Kazakhstan and neighboring countries.
«Regarding transboundary waters, Kazakhstan has completed the establishment of a legal framework with all neighboring countries. Within this framework, bilateral commissions have been established and are operating to ensure sustainable cooperation and coordination. For example, last year, the country signed an agreement with the Republic of Uzbekistan on the joint management and rational use of transboundary water facilities, which was the result of 10 years of negotiations. Thanks to the established water diplomacy and the coordinated operating regime of reservoirs along the Syr Darya River, we have managed in recent years to ensure a stable inflow of water into the North Aral Sea even during low-water periods,» noted Zhandos Salimov, Kazakh Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation.
The Government is also stepping up efforts to preserve the Caspian Sea. Kazakhstan, together with the littoral states, is preparing an interstate program, expanding scientific cooperation and improving the monitoring system. Particular attention is being paid to the consequences of the declining sea level, biodiversity conservation and efforts to combat pollution. In cooperation with UNDP and other international partners, projects are also being implemented to preserve marine and coastal ecosystems.
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