News

Events

On 26–27 May 2026, Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea presented a thematic pavilion at the International Exhibition “Water Resilience for Climate Action”, organized as part of the The Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action «Water for Sustainable Development», 2018–2028 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

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On 26–27 May 2026, at the invitation of the organizers, a delegation of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, headed by Chairman Mr. Askhat Orazbay, participated in the The Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action «Water for Sustainable Development», 2018–2028, held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

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On 29–30 April 2026, the 4th Meeting of the Working Group on the development of the Central Asia Water Efficiency Cooperation Project was held in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan. The Project is being jointly implemented by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the World Bank.

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The Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) actively participated in the events of the first Regional Environmental Summit (RES 2026), held in Astana on 22–24 April 2026.

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 On April 24, 2026, in Astana, within the framework of the Regional Ecological Summit–2026, the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) participated in the thematic session of the Central Asian Climate Change Conference titled “Water Resources Management in the Context of Climate Impact”, organized by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

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Astana, April 23, 2026 — As part of the Regional Ecological Summit, a high-level thematic event was held on “Global Climate Change and Sustainable Development in the Region of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia”.

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23 апреля 2026 года в Астане в рамках Регионального экологического саммита–2026 и Центрально-Азиатской Конференции по вопросам изменения климата состоялась сессия «Экономика водно-энергетического сотрудничества в Центральной Азии в условиях изменения климата», организованная Региональным экологическим центром Центральной Азии и Центрально-Азиатской водно-энергетической программой Всемирного банка (CAWEP-4).

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On April 23, 2026, in Astana, within the framework of the Regional Ecological Summit–2026, the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) took part in the panel session “Best Practices in Addressing Current Environmental, Socio-Economic and Water Issues in the Aral Sea Basin”, organized by Executive Directorate of the IFAS in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

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On 23 April 2026, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), A. Orazbay, took part in a round table / consultations of the heads of water management agencies of the region on the establishment of an International Water Organization within the UN system. The event was organized by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan as part of the Regional Ecological Summit 2026 in Astana. In December 2025, at an international forum in Ashgabat, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, proposed the creation of an International Water Organization within the UN framework. The establishment of such an organization would recognize water as a global public good and ensure the institutional integration of the water agenda into key UN mechanisms. The proposed IWO could serve as a platform for aligning policy, science, finance, and practice, as well as for shaping a unified global narrative linking water security with climate, food, and economic resilience. In the Astana Statement of the Heads of State–Founders of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, signed on 22 April 2026 in Astana, the Parties noted the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan regarding the possible establishment of such an organization within the UN system, and emphasized that further consideration of this issue should be based on broad international consensus within the relevant UN processes.

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On 23 April 2026 in Astana, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the 46th meeting of the Berlin Eurasian Club was held on the theme “Joint Achievement of Sustainable Development: Strategic Partnership on the Path to a Green Future”, chaired by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, E. Ashikbayev, and the Chairman of the Board of the Eastern Committee of the German Economy, K. Klaas-Mühlhäuser.

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On 23 April 2026 in Astana, within the framework of the Regional Environmental Summit 2026, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the IFAS , A. Orazbay, and the Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, H. Kluge, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations.

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 On 22 April 2026 in Astana, under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.K. Tokayev, a meeting of the Council of Heads of Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was held with the participation of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic S.N. Japarov, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan E. Rahmon, the President of Turkmenistan S.G. Berdimuhamedov, and the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.M. Mirziyoyev.

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On 16 April 2026, a meeting was held at the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) between Chairman A. Orazbay, the Ambassador of the European Union to Kazakhstan, A. Simkič, and the Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan, J. Bauer.

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The Executive Directorate of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in the Republic of Kazakhstan organized a series of events on April 9–10, 2026, in the city of Aralsk, Kyzylorda Region, dedicated to the traditional annual celebration of the Day of the Aral Sea.

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On April 7, 2026, a working meeting was held at the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea with representatives of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS office is located in Astana).

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On March 30, 2026, a meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was held in Astana under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, K. Bozumbayev.

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On 25–26 March 2026, the international water forum Tashkent Water Week 2026 was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under the theme “Technologies and Innovations in Water Resources Management: Central Asia and the Global Water Cycle”.

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On 5–6 March 2026, the 3rd meeting of the Regional Working Group on the preparation of the Central Asia Water Efficiency Cooperation Project was held in Tashkent. The meeting was organized by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea jointly with the World Bank Central Asia Water-Energy Program (CAWEP-4).

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4 March 2026 the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea together with the World Bank Central Asia Water-Energy Program (CAWEP-4) organized a study visit in Tashkent on the topic “Transfer of Innovative Technologies and Educational Practices in Water Resources Management in Central Asia”.

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In line with the assigned tasks and in implementation of the instructions of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, the Executive Committee of the Fund organized the 15th meeting of the Working Group on improving the organizational structure and legal and regulatory framework of IFAS on 25–26 February 2026 in Astana.

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On 6 February 2026, in Astana, Kazakhstan, the heads of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and the Islamic Organization for Food Security, Ashat Orazbay and Berik Aryn, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions.

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Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), in collaboration with the Central Asian Water and Energy Program (CAWEP‑4), organized the 2nd meeting of the Working Group on the Regional Grant Component of the multi-phase “Central Asia Water Efficiency and Savings Program” on 2–3 February 2026 in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan.

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On 27 January 2026, the first regional workshop on the dissemination of results of the joint project of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) was held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. The project, entitled “Correction of hydromodule zoning of the Syrdarya river basin using remote sensing data and satellite mapping technologies for correction of water consumption and irrigation regimes for agricultural crops cultivated in the region” (the Project), was presented to a wide range of stakeholders.

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At the invitation of the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), Askhat Orazbay, took part in the annual Week of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA), held in Ashgabat on 20–23 January 2026.

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At the invitation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2025 between the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and UNEP, as well as the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on 9 December 2025, the Chairman of the EC IFAS, Askhat Orazbay, participated in the 7th session of the UNEP Assembly (UNEA-7) on the theme “Advancing Sustainable Solutions for a Sustainable Planet”, held at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

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On 28 November 2025, the first meeting of the Working Group on the Regional Grant Component of the multi-phase “Central Asia Water Efficiency and Savings Program” was held in Astana at the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS).

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In his remarks, Mr. Orazbay expressed gratitude to the European Union for its support through the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP-4) and noted the valuable partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the French Development Agency (AFD). He highlighted the importance of coordinating efforts among international partners and emphasized the work of the EC IFAS on establishing a cooperation mechanism for the implementation of joint projects.

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On 17 November 2025, in Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, a Conference dedicated to international water cooperation and the improvement of Uzbekistan’s water legislation was held under the auspices of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

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On 13 November 2025, in Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, representatives of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), S. Bekmaganbetov and N. Sheraliev, took part—at the invitation of the Swiss side and within the framework of the Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative—in the Regional Seminar “Water Challenges in Central Asia” and in the first meeting of the BPCA Regional Advisory Committee.

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On 11 November 2025, in Belém, Federative Republic of Brazil, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), Askhat Orazbay, participated—at the invitation of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and Sogesid S.p.A.—in the side event “Continuing Work on the Aral Sea: Joint Management for Environmental Restoration”, organized at the Italy Pavilion as part of the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30).

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On 4 November 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, at the invitation of the Tajik side, which chairs the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development of Central Asia (ICSD CA), Deputy Chairman of EC IFAS Mr. S. Bekmaganbetov took part in the meeting of the ICSD CA Consultative Council and delivered a presentation titled “On the work to improve the organizational structure and legal framework of IFAS”.

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On 29 October 2025, in Astana, Mr. S. Bekmaganbetov, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), and Mr. S. Mukatayev, Head of the Executive Directorate of IFAS in the Republic of Kazakhstan, spoke at a press conference dedicated to the project “Improvement of the Ecosystem of the Dried Bottom of the Aral Sea Using the Innovative E-seed Technology”.

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On October 23, 2025, a virtual consultation meeting was held between the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) and the Scientific Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia (SIC ICWC) to prepare for the launch of the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Project on knowledge exchange and capacity building, initiated by the European Union in support of basin organizations.

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On October 16, 2025, the staff of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) took part in an inaugural and introductory virtual meeting to launch the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Program with the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), which serves as the moderator of the P2P implementation process.

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On October 10, 2025, in the Aral District of the Kyzylorda Region, staff members of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) took part in the national scientific and educational conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the fisheries sector of the Aral Sea region, as well as in the opening ceremony of the Service and Procurement Center “Karashalang Balyk” LLP plant, which meets European quality standards.

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On October 10, 2025, in Astana, the members of the Executive Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) — Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Bozumbayev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan S. Ziyozoda, and Adviser to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. Ganiev — accompanied by the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan N. Nurzhigitov and the Minister of Water Management of Uzbekistan Sh. Khamraev, visited the office of the Executive Committee of IFAS.

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On October 10, 2025, the meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was held in Astana under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. K. Bozumbayev. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mr. S. Ziyozoda; Adviser to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Sh. Ganiyev; Minister of Agriculture of Turkmenistan, Mr. Ch. Chetiyev; and Deputy Director of the Water Resources Service under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mr. A. Dzhayloobaev, who participated as an observer.

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Astana, September 18, 2025 – Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, A. Orazbay, held a meeting with OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, K. Kamp.

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Kyzylorda, September 15–17, 2025 – At the invitation of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, Serik Bekmaganbetov, took part in the meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on assessing the impact of the Aral Sea crisis on health and the environment, with the participation of representatives of the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health of the World Health Organization.

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On 16 September 2025, the second meeting of the Water Pillar Working Group under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program was held in a virtual format. The event was attended by representatives of Central Asian countries, regional institutions, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and technical assistance consultants.

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The Head of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) participated in the 4th World Irrigation Forum and the 76th International Executive Council meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), held on 8–11 September 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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Burabay, Akmola Region, August 14, 2025 – Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), Askhat Orazbay, spoke at the 90th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) of Central Asia, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, K. Bozumbayev.

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On 1 August 2025, in Aktau, Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), Mr. Askhat Orazbay, participated in the meeting of Ministers of Environmental Agencies of Central Asian countries, held in preparation for the Regional Environmental Summit scheduled to take place in Astana in 2026.

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On June 26, 2025, in Astana, a meeting of representatives of the founding states of the IFAS and the UNECE consultant, Doctor of Political Science Jon Marco Church took place at the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea.

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19-21 June this year, the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) is participating in the International Exhibition of Environmental Technologies “Eco Expo Central Asia”, held in Tashkent.

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Geneva, Switzerland, June 19–20, 2025 – Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), Askhat Orazbay, participated in and delivered a speech at the 2nd Global Forum on Transboundary Water “New Frontiers for Transboundary Water Management, Financing and Cooperation”. A.Orazbay informed participants about the benefits of multilateral cooperation among Central Asian countries within the framework of IFAS, emphasizing that the Fund has played an important role in establishing sustainable interstate cooperation and implementing a number of joint projects in the fields of interated water resources management, environmental protection, and socio-economic development. He also presented the key priorities of Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of IFAS for 2024–2026.

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On June 4, 2025, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC, Almaty), B. Mamedov, visited the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS).

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On June 2–3, 2025, the 14th meeting of the Working Group (WG) on improving the organizational structure and legal framework of IFAS was held in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan. The event was organized at the initiative of Executive Committee of IFAS and with the support of the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP) of the World Bank.

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On June 1, 2025, as part of the cultural programme of the High-Level International Conference on the Preservation of Glaciers (Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan), the Chairman of the Executive Committee of IFAS, Mr. A. Orazbay, along with the staff of the Executive Committee, visited the Ramit Gorge, located on the southern slope of the Gissar Range, in the upper reaches of the glacial-fed Kafirnigan River.

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On May 31, 2025, on the sidelines of the High-Level International Conference on Glacier Preservation held in Dushanbe (May 29–31 this year), Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), A. Orazbay, met with Chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, B. Sheralizoda.

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Dushanbe, May 31, 2025 – Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), Askhat Orazbay, delivered a speech at the plenary session of the High-Level International Conference on Glacier Preservation in Dushanbe.

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On 31 May, on the margins of the International High-Level Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, Mr. Askhat Orazbay, and SRSG Kaha Imnadze signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation to Develop Monitoring Mechanisms and Preventive Response to Environmental Threats in the Aral Sea Basin.

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May 29, 2025, Dushanbe, Tajikistan – Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), Mr. Askhat Orazbay, delivered a speech at the Regional Forum on “Strengthening Transboundary Cooperation for Water Security and Climate Resilience,” opening the session titled “Water, Food, Energy and Environmental Security in Central Asia: Challenges and Opportunities”.

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On May 22–24, 2025, Kyzylorda Region, Aral District – Staff of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) participated in a three-day international expedition along the routes of the ARAL GEOPARK: “Aralsk–Mergensai–Chinki–Akespe–Aralsk”, “Aralsk – Kokaral dam – Lake Kambash – Aralsk,” and to the Barsakelmes State Nature Reserve.

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May 21, 2025 – Aralsk. Representatives of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) took part in the official opening of the new Representative Office of the Executive Directorate of the IFAS (ED IFAS) in the Republic of Kazakhstan, located in the city of Aralsk. The Representative Office is tasked with strengthening collaboration with local authorities, communities, and non-governmental organizations in the Aral and Kazaly districts of the Kyzylorda Region.

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On May 16, 2025, working consultations took place between representatives of the Executive Committee of the IFAS and the University of Oulu (Finland).

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On May 13–14, 2025, Serik Bekmagambetov, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the IFAS, participated in the Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC) titled "Achieving the Global Goal on Climate Finance through Regional and National Action in Central Asia".

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Astana, April 28, 2025 – Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), Mr. A. Orazbay held a meeting with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Asia and Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), Mr. K. Imnadze.

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Astana, April 11, 2025 – At the invitation of the Embassy of the French Republic in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of IFAS, Mr. Askhat Orazbay, took part in a diplomatic reception on the occasion of the inauguration of the Representative Office of the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement – AFD) in Kazakhstan, in the city of Astana.

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On 10 April 2025, the second meeting of the Coordination Council of Development Partners in the Water Sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held in Astana under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Nurlan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, and Ms. Katrin Vavvernia, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan. The Council currently includes 35 partners.

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On 9 April 2025, the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) was visited by representatives of the Secretariat of the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Geneva, Switzerland), as well as the International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC, Astana), which support the implementation of the Convention and its Protocol on Water and Health.

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Baku, April 3-5, 2025 – The Second Meeting of the Working Group for the ADB project "Strengthening the Development of Green Skills within the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program" was held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

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On April 4-5, 2025, the Executive Committee of the IFAS, headed by the Chairman of the organization, Askhat Orazbay, participated in the International Conference "Central Asia Facing Global Climate Challenges: Consolidation for Common Prosperity" and the 89th meeting of the Interstate Coordinating Water Commission of Central Asia, which took place in the city of Samarkand, Republic of Uzbekistan, at the invitation of the event organizers.

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Astana, 1 April 2025 – Chairman of the Executive Committee of the IFAS Askhat Orazbay met with the newly appointed European Union Special Representative for Central Asia Eduards Stiprais, who arrived in Kazakhstan on a working visit.

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Tashkent, 28 March 2025 – The Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan hosted a seminar on presentation of the Blue Peace Central Asia initiative. The event was organized by the International Water Management Institute, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia.

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On March 27, 2025, in Aralsk, Kyzylorda Region, a roundtable discussion on "Experience, Modernity, and Prospects of the Aral Region" was held at the initiative of the Executive Directorate of IFAS in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The event was dedicated to the "Day of the Aral Sea".

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Astana, 17 March 2025 - the Executive Committee of IFAS jointly with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands held a ceremony of launching the training titled “Promoting political cooperation through water diplomacy in Central Asia” for junior diplomats and professionals from Central Asia.

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On March 13, 2025, a meeting took place at the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) between the Chairman of EC IFAS, Askhat Orazbay, and the Director for Central Asia Development at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Sarah Cooper.

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Astana, 13 March 2025 - Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kairat Sarybay paid a visit to the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund of Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS).

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Astana, March 12, 2025 – At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan M. Nurtleu, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) A. Orazbay took part in an Auyzashar event organized for the heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations accredited in Kazakhstan.

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On March 12, 2025, the International Conference "Water Resource Management: Risks, Resilience, and Innovations" took place in the city of Astana, dedicated to World Water Day on March 22. The event was organized by the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan.

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On February 26, 2025, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) A. Orazbay, Rector of the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands E.Moors and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands K.Abdrakhmanov held a trilateral online meeting.

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On February 13, 2025, a team of World Bank staff visited the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and discussed with the official representatives of the IFAS's founding states the possibilities for further strengthening cooperation.

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February 12, 2025, in Astana, at the International Exhibition Center "EXPO", by invitation of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the IFAS Serik Bekmaganbetov gave a presentation on the issues of the Aral Sea and the activities of the IFAS Executive Committee to the young professionals of the water sector at the national festival "City of Working Professions".

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On January 29, 2025, the 88th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia (ICWC) was held in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan, chaired by the Tajik side. The meeting was also attended by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS).

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Astana, 28 January 2025 – A team of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) had a meeting with a Swiss delegation headed by the Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Kazakhstan Salman Bal at the office of the EC IFAS. The delegation included representatives from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

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On January 16, 2025, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, Askhat Orazbay, made a working trip to Taraz, where he met with the staff of the Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Water Economy and the Kazakh National University of Water Resources and Irrigation to discuss the implementation of potential joint projects. A meeting was also held with Sagit Ibatullin, who served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the IFAS from 2009 to 2012.

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The 13th meeting of the Working Group of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) took place on December 12-13, 2024, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, with the support of the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP).

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On December 3, 2024, the "One Water” Summit took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. During the opening ceremony, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the President of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, once again reminded the global community of the Aral Sea catastrophe from the high-profile platform.

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Ashgabat, 30 November – 1 December 2024 – The Executive Committee of the IFAS (EC IFAS) participated in the Regional Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in the Aral Sea Basin, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on the initiative of the Turkmen side.

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Bishkek, 29 November 2024 - in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, with the support of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), the third meeting of the Regional Working Group on the implementation of the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Central Asia (RCCASCA) took place.

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Bishkek, 29 November 2024 - the capital of Kyrgyzstan hosted the third meeting of the Regional Working Group for the implementation of the Regional Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change in Central Asia (RSACCCA).

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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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On October 29, 2024, a meeting took place at the office of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) between the Chairman of EC IFAS, A. Orazbay, and Italy’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, E. Cirelli. The Italian delegation also included senior representatives from SOGESID SPA.

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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.

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Astana, 18 September 2024 – Within the framework of meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan O.Bektеnov received the Heads of delegations from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the Chairman of the Executive Committee of IFAS.

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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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Astana, September 10, 2024 - Chairman of the EC IFAS A. Orazbay participated in a meeting with the European Union Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan chaired by Minister N.Nurzhigitov.

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Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, held a meeting with Askhat Orazbay, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS).

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ASTANA, September 4, 2024 – As per the mandate of the Heads of the Central Asian Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), the 12th meeting of the Working Group on Improving the Organizational Structure and Legal Framework of IFAS is taking place in Astana. This meeting is co-organized by the IFAS Executive Committee and the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP) of the World Bank.

Events

On August 26, 2024, Askat Orazbay, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), met with Zhang Xiao, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Events

On August 22, 2024, a meeting was held at the office of the Executive Committee of the IFAS with representatives of the French Development Agency (AFD).

Events

On August 15, 2024, a meeting was held at the IFAS Executive Committee office with representatives of the " Institute of Ionosphere" LLP (Almaty). The Institute specializes in research on near-Earth space, solar-terrestrial interactions, space weather, and geodynamics, as well as conducting ground-based and space-based monitoring.

Events

On August 12, 2024, an online consultation took place between the Executive Committee of IFAS (International Fund for saving the Aral Sea) and representatives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) regarding the establishment and development of partnership relations within the framework of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, for which ADB serves as the Secretariat.

Events

Astana, 8 August 2024 – The Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) works on attracting international partners and donors for the implementation of joint projects in the Aral Sea basin.

Events

Almaty, 27 June 2024 - Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) Askhat Orazbay participated as the key speaker at the session “Water, energy and food in Central Asia: partnerships and projects for sustainable development”, held in the framework of the Business forum of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB).

Press 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.

Press releases

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.

Speeches/performances

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