The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan organised a special event to discuss strengthening multilateral cooperation in the field of water resources, including the initiative of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to establish an International Water Organisation.

The event was held on the sidelines of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (COP17) in Ulaanbaatar. Representatives of the United Nations, national delegations, expert community and non-governmental organisations took part in the discussion. Particular attention was paid to water resources management in the context of land degradation, drought, food security and biodiversity.

Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Mongolia Almas Seitakynov emphasised the importance of the Head of State’s initiative in strengthening international water cooperation and addressing long-term environmental challenges facing Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the Central Asian region. In this context, prospects for improving regional mechanisms of cooperation in the water sector were also discussed.

The Kazakh delegation presented conceptual approaches to the establishment of the International Water Organisation, as well as the outcomes of international consultations held in Astana, Nairobi and New York. The Kazakh side called on interested countries and organisations to engage in discussions on further improving the global water governance system, including at the upcoming UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.

Participants noted the relevance of Kazakhstan’s initiative in light of the ongoing UN reforms and growing challenges in the field of water security. Chairman of the Water Agency of Mongolia Zeneeemyadaryn Batbayar stressed the timeliness of the Kazakh initiative, highlighting the interconnected nature of environmental and climate challenges with global water issues.

Following the event, participants expressed interest in jointly advancing the water agenda on UN platforms and strengthening multilateral cooperation in this area.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa/press/news/details/1276518?lang=ru