Meeting of the Chairman of the EC IFAS with the EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan

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.

Given the European Union’s active engagement and contribution to addressing the challenges of the Aral Sea basin as one of the key international development partners, including within the framework of the 4th Central Asia Water and Energy Programme, the parties discussed issues related to strengthening and expanding cooperation between IFAS and the EU. The sides positively noted the adoption of the document regulating coordination between the Executive Committee of IFAS and international development partners in the implementation of the Aral Sea Basin Program (ASBP) and the Regional Environmental Programme for Sustainable Development in Central Asia.

The parties also discussed specific initiatives of Kazakhstan, including the proposal to establish an International Water Organization within the United Nations system, as well as upcoming events within the framework of the Regional Ecological Summit to be held in Astana on 22–24 April 2026.