About IFAS
IFAS was established in 1993 by the Heads of State of Central Asia in order to overcome the environmental crisis and improve the socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea basin, recognized by the world community as one of the largest disasters of the 20th century. In 1993, the heads of states of Central Asia created the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and approved the Regulations on IFAS.
The President
Tokaev Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich
President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, President of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea
The Council of the Heads of the IFAS Founding States on the Problems of the Aral Sea Basin is the supreme body of IFAS.
Read completelyThe area of the Aral Sea basin covers about 700,000 square kilometers and includes Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, most part of southern Kazakhstan, and the northern part of Afghanistan. It is a kingdom of high mountains, dry steppes, semi-deserts and deserts.
Read completelyThe Aral Sea in its original form was located in the Northern desert part of Central Asia, within Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and covered an area of 68 km2 with a volume of 1053 km3.
Read completelyLocated in the heart of Central Asia, the Aral Sea basin includes the basins of two major rivers: the Amu Darya and Syr Darya.
Read completelyThe use of water resources in Central Asia, mainly for drinking water and irrigation, began more than 6,000 years ago.
Read completelyIn former times, the unique isolation of the Aral Sea basin contributed to the development of such a richness and diversity of biota, which could be compared with Africa.
Read completelyNews
Astana, 18 September 2024 – The capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted a meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) under chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Bozumbaev.
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On November 18, 2024, the IFAS team, including representatives of the Fund's Executive Committee, SIC ICWC and the IFAS Project Implementation Agency, took part in the side event "Sustainable Water Resources: Technologies and Innovations" within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was organized in the "Uzbekistan" pavilion.
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On 16 November 2024 on the sidelines of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29, Baku), Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) S. Bekmaganbetov met the Director General of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) M.Smith.
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Astana, 23 September 2024 – Chairman of the EC IFAS Askhat Orazbay met with the Ambassador of Hungary to the Republic of Kazakhstan Otto Ivan Rona.
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Astana, 18 September 2024 – The Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) held a Coordination Meeting with international development partners.
Read completelyEvents
On November 18, 2024, the IFAS team, including representatives of the Fund's Executive Committee, SIC ICWC and the IFAS Project Implementation Agency, took part in the side event "Sustainable Water Resources: Technologies and Innovations" within the framework of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was organized in the "Uzbekistan" pavilion.
Read completelyEvents
On 16 November 2024 on the sidelines of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29, Baku), Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) S. Bekmaganbetov met the Director General of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) M.Smith.
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Astana, 23 September 2024 – Chairman of the EC IFAS Askhat Orazbay met with the Ambassador of Hungary to the Republic of Kazakhstan Otto Ivan Rona.
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Astana, 18 September 2024 – The Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) held a Coordination Meeting with international development partners.
Read completelyPress releases
The IFAS Executive Committee is a permanent body of the Fund and is created by a decision of the IFAS President and is located on a rotation basis in the country presiding over the IFAS.
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On June 23, 1990, an appeal to the peoples of Central Asia and the first Joint Statement by the leaders of the countries of Central Asia was announced in Almaty, where the environmental disaster of the Aral Sea region was first recognized as an acute problem in the region. In 1992, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev addressed the Heads of State of the Central Asian countries should join efforts to mitigate the negative impact of the drying up of the Aral Sea on the environment and the population of the region.
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From sea to desert...
Tragedy of the Aral Sea
The Aral Sea basin crisis is a very dramatic event of our time. In the recent past, the Aral Sea was a unique natural object - a brackish lake-sea with a volume of 1083 km3 and an area of 68 thousand km2, with high biological productivity and a unique world of living organisms.
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR SAVING THE ARAL SEA
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR SAVING THE ARAL SEA © 2024
Scructure of IFAS
Council of Heads of State
IFAS board
ICSD
Revision Commission