Workshop on the New Water Code in the Republic of Kazakhstan Held under Support of the IKI-Nexus Project

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an extensive training workshop on the new Water Code and its implementation has commenced. Held in Astana from October 6 to 10, the workshop is organized with expert and methodological support from key international partners, including UNECE, OECD, SIC ICWC and the International Water Assessment Center.

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an extensive training workshop on the new Water Code and its implementation has commenced. Held in Astana from October 6 to 10, the workshop is organized with expert and methodological support from key international partners, including UNECE, OECD, SIC ICWC and the International Water Assessment Center.

Over the course of five days, participants will delve into practical aspects of implementation of the new Water Code, with a focus on:

• Key provisions and new features of the Code;
• Roles and responsibilities of state authorities and basin inspections;
• State water planning, accounting, and oversight;
• Protection of water bodies and permitting procedures;
• Protection of water bodies and permitting procedures;
• Economic instruments and water-saving technologies;
• Case studies on water reuse and recycling across various industries.

The workshop agenda consists of eight thematic sessions addressing key issues such as public administration, digitalization, water protection, operation of water infrastructure, and economic and technical dimensions of water use.

The workshop will help to:

• Enhance awareness among specialists of new regulations governing water resources;
• Strengthen interagency cooperation in the implementation of national water policy;
• Promote the exchange of experience and the formulation of proposals to improve the regulatory framework;
• Develop practical skills for applying the provisions of the new Water Code.

The Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (SIC ICWC) of Central Asia contributed to the organization and content development of the workshop as part of the project “Regional Mechanisms for the Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Transformation of the Energy-Water-Land Nexus in Central Asia” (IKI Nexus) supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).

For reference: The new Water Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, adopted in 2025 and set to enter into force in 2026, is to improve public water management, integrate digital solutions, deploy water-saving technologies, and reinforce the institutional framework of the water sector.