Kazakhstan takes over chairmanship of Int'l Fund for Saving the Aral Sea

Kazakhstan has taken over the chairmanship of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea since this year. The country aims at strengthening partnerships with the Central Asian countries as well as other international organizations and financial institutions to address the issues facing the Sea, Kazinform News Agency cites the press service of the Ministry of water resources and irrigation of the country. 

Earlier at the meeting with Swiss ambassador Salman Bal and representatives of the Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Kazakh water resources and irrigation minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov noted that Kazakhstan aims at realizing the initiatives announced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to create an international water energy consortium taking into account the interests of all the countries of Central Asia in the region.

In 2024, we are to begin the second phase of the project for saving the Small Aral implemented together with the World Bank. Therefore, we're to work on the interaction in the water and energy sphere of the CA countries with the Blue Peace. We're also interested in preparing new personnel and increasing the qualifications of specialists in the water sector. We expect our cooperation to be close and effective, said the Kazakh minister.