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The World Bank will allocate $20 million to save water resources in Central Asian countries
Central Asian countries will receive World Bank support to solve one of the most pressing problems in the region - water resource management. The funds will be used to modernize water use systems, develop digital accounting systems and prepare new transboundary projects.
The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank approved the launch of a project to develop transboundary water cooperation. The project will help countries manage and conserve water more effectively. About 40 million people are expected to benefit directly or indirectly from the project.
A $20 million grant will be allocated for this. The funds will be channeled through the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea within the framework of the program "Cooperation in the field of effective management of water resources in Central Asia."
Today the region faces a number of systemic problems. Among them are worn-out infrastructure, weak coordination between countries and insufficient data exchange on key waterways such as the Amu Darya and Syr Darya. The situation is aggravated by climate change: over the past 60 years, the area of glaciers has decreased by 30%, which directly affects water supply.
Experts estimate that countries lose more than $4.5 billion annually due to poor coordination. At the same time, the potential for joint resource management and the implementation of digital solutions remains largely untapped.
The project provides for the preparation by 2031 of up to six major initiatives for the development of transboundary water infrastructure with the participation of several countries in the region. There are plans to modernize irrigation systems, water storage and coordinated resource management.
Special attention will be paid to digitalization. It is planned to update water accounting systems and develop information systems in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins. It also provides for training of specialists and strengthening the capacity of regional organizations.
The World Bank emphasized that sustainable management of water resources is directly related to economic growth and job creation in Central Asia. The new project should be an important step towards closer cooperation between the countries of the region and solving common water problems.
Previously, three departments of Uzbekistan signed The concept of integrated water resources management of the Lower Amudarya.
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