FIVE CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES LAUNCH $30M WATER PROGRAM

Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are launching the Central Asia Water and Land Nexus (CAWLN) regional program with a budget of $30 million. The initiative will be officially unveiled at the 8th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility, scheduled to take place in Samarkand from May 30 to June 6.

The program is being implemented with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Uzbekistan’s National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change reported Friday.

Key priorities include the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins, which provide water to about 80% of the region’s population of more than 84 million people. Their condition directly affects food security and economic stability in Central Asia.

The program provides for integrated management of water and land resources, including land restoration, efforts to combat desertification, forest and biodiversity conservation, as well as climate adaptation. It is based on a “nexus approach,” which involves coordinated management of water resources, agriculture and ecosystems, taking into account their interdependence.

Pilot projects are also planned, including agroforestry and sustainable land management initiatives in the Aral Sea region, along with the creation of knowledge-sharing platforms.

The implementation of CAWLN is expected to help restore degraded landscapes, improve water-use efficiency and strengthen regional food security.