Kazakhstan Strengthens Water Sector with $14 Million in International Partnerships

Since its establishment in 2023, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has significantly expanded its international partnerships, signing four agreements and 20 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with global organizations and securing over $14 million in grants to advance the country’s water management capabilities.

The ministry has collaborated with agencies and development organizations from China, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and Spain to implement projects aimed at improving water infrastructure and management, The Caspian Post reports per Kazakh media.

In December 2024, the ministry partnered with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Geological and Mining Research Bureau (BRGM) on a trilateral agreement to preserve Lake Balkhash, supported by a 1.35 million euros ($1.47 million) grant for a comprehensive basin study and conservation master plan. In June, a large-scale field expedition in the Balkhash district, Almaty Region, involved the ministry, a French scientific consortium, Kazakh research institutes, and local authorities to advance the initiative.

In March 2025, Kazakhstan and China signed an MOU to enhance bilateral cooperation on sustainable water resource management, focusing on modern technologies, knowledge exchange, and joint training programs. This year, 121 Kazakh water specialists are training in China, with around 200 more scheduled for next year.

Kazakhstan has also established partnerships with the Netherlands on flood management and professional training. Dutch experts have conducted seminars on flood risk management, and the Delft-FEWS digital platform is being used to strengthen Kazakhstan’s flood forecasting and modeling capabilities.

In addition, Japan has pledged around $2 million to improve flood prevention through comprehensive dam management, while Spain is planning a grant to support research on underground water reserves in western Kazakhstan.

“These international agreements are designed to ensure the timely and effective implementation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s directives,” said Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov.