Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan, October 10, 2025 — The capital of Kazakhstan hosted a meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Kanat Bozumbayev.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Mr. Sultan Ziyozoda, Adviser to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Mr. Shukhrat Ganiyev, Minister of Agriculture of Turkmenistan Mr. Chary Chetiyev, and Deputy Director of the Water Resources Service under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Asylbek Dzhayloobaev, who participated as an observer.
IFAS Board Meeting. Photocredit to EC IFAS in Kazakhstan.
During the meeting, participants held active discussions on key issues within the mandate of the Fund, including the integrated use of water resources, environmental protection, socio-economic development, and the improvement of institutional and legal cooperation mechanisms. As a result of the discussions, seven documents were approved, aimed at strengthening and further enhancing the activities of IFAS.
The members of the IFAS Board instructed to intensify joint efforts to ensure the implementation of the Fund’s two key strategic documents up to 2030 — the Fourth Aral Sea Basin Program (ASBP-4) and the Regional Environmental Programme for Sustainable Development in Central Asia (REP4SD-CA).
IFAS Board Meeting. Photocredit to EC IFAS in Kazakhstan.
In addition, the participants agreed to consider at the next IFAS Board meeting the proposal to establish and proclaim 26 March as the International Day of the Aral Sea, the Amudarya and Syrdarya Rivers. This initiative is expected to have a positive multiplier effect and further strengthen regional cooperation among the countries of Central Asia in the field of water and environmental resources management.
(Material received from EC IFAS in Kazakhstan)
- On the preparation of the meeting of the Council of Heads of Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in Astana, Kazakhstan, 2026
- On the implementation of the Work Plan of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea for the period of the Chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2024-2026
- On the implementation of the Action Program to Assist the countries of the Aral Sea basin
- On the implementation of the Regional Program for Environmental Protection for Sustainable Development in Central Asia
- On the activities of the Working Group on Improving the Organizational Structure of the Legal Framework of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea
- On the consideration of the issue of establishing and declaring March 26 as the International Day of the Aral Sea, Amu Darya, and Syr Darya Rivers
- On the agenda of the next meeting of the Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea