Negotiations between the heads of the water and energy agencies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have concluded in Tashkent. The main outcome of the meeting was the signing of a trilateral protocol that formalized the agreed volumes and schedule of water releases from the Toktogul reservoir for the next two months. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy reported.
Ensuring sufficient water supply for the southern regions during the irrigation season became the key issue on the agenda. The signed protocol guarantees compliance with the schedule of water releases from the Toktogul hydropower plant and removes uncertainty for farmers at the start of the agricultural season.
According to the statement, this will allow Kazakh and Uzbek farmers to successfully and smoothly pass through the initial stage of irrigation works without disruptions.
To ensure stable water supply until the end of the agricultural season, the countries agreed to act in stages.
The next in-person meeting of the agency heads will take place in mid-June in Bishkek. During the meeting, the parties are expected to finalize the schedules and approve the water release volumes for the following critically important months — July, August and September.
The signing of the current protocol confirms the high efficiency of the interstate water and energy balance mechanism.
