On 21 October 2026, an expanded meeting with the heads of the branches of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS) was held at the EC IFAS office in Astana, chaired by Askhat Orazbay, Chairman of the Executive Committee. The meeting focused on “Current Issues of IFAS and the Results of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Chairmanship in 2024–2026”.
The meeting was attended by the heads of the EC IFAS branches in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Regional Centre of Hydrology of the EC IFAS, as well as representatives of the founding states of the Fund at the Executive Committee.
The participants noted the productive, effective and coordinated work of all IFAS divisions and organizations during Kazakhstan’s chairmanship, aimed at achieving tangible results in addressing the environmental crisis and improving the socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea Basin. The IFAS Summit, attended by the five Heads of State of the Fund’s founding countries, was successfully held, resulting in the signing of the Astana Statement and three important decisions. Significant progress was also achieved in implementing the Fourth Aral Sea Basin Programme (ASBP-4), launching programmes and projects in the Aral Sea Basin jointly with international development partners, expanding the geographical scope of cooperation, and advancing other areas of activity in accordance with the mandate of the EC IFAS.
