Roundtable Discussion on Water Security in Central Asia: Building Resilience amidst Climate Change

On 14 April 2026, the International Institute for Central Asia in Tashkent (IICA) hosted a roundtable titled “Water Security in Central Asia: Building Resilience amidst Climate Change” jointly with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) ahead of the Summit of the Heads of State, scheduled for April 22 this year in Astana.

The aim of the event was to develop coordinated expert approaches and practical recommendations on ensuring water security in Central Asia, as well as addressing the impacts of climate change, which are progressing faster. The event brought together representatives of leading think tanks and research institutions, relevant ministries and agencies from Central Asia and Afghanistan.

Work was focused on three key areas:

During the session “Priorities of regional cooperation on water in the context of climate change”, participants discussed such priority issues as rational and sound water use, strengthening of institutional coordination, development of joint monitoring and data exchange, as well as integrated adaptation and mitigation strategies to enhance resilience in the region.

The session “IFAS as a mechanism of regional cooperation for stability and resilience in Central Asia” addressed the IFAS’ role as a key institutional mechanism of regional cooperation. The discussion was focused on the improvement of institutional and legal frameworks of the Fund, the development of the systems of monitoring and data exchange, and the more effective implementation of regional programs. Particular attention was paid to the discussion of the outcomes of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in IFAS in 2024-2026 and to priorities of the chairmanship to be taken by Uzbekistan in the next 3 years.

As part of the session “Cooperation between the Central Asian countries and Afghanistan for water security in the region”, participants had detailed discussions on approaches applied to achieve rational water use, taking into account the situation in Afghanistan, and the matters related to environmental responsibility in transboundary hydrotechnical projects.