Regional Roundtable on Groundwater: Strengthening Cooperation in Central Asia

The meeting brought together representatives from government agencies and hydrogeological institutes from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as international partners, including the World Bank, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Groundwater represents 98% of the world's unfrozen freshwater and plays a vital role in water security across Central Asia, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas. Despite this importance, groundwater resources in the region remain under-researched and under-governed, with limited cooperation across borders.

The roundtable provided a platform for sharing national experiences, discussing priority aquifers for regional collaboration, and exploring ideas for collaborative projects to achieve more sustainable groundwater governance. Experts presented the global and national contexts, including UNESCO's ongoing initiatives under its Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The roundtable also explored links between groundwater, agriculture, and sustainable development.

UNESCO reaffirmed its commitment to support Central Asian countries in advancing groundwater governance as part of broader efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and strengthen resilience to climate change.