Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been elected President of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) for the period 2027–2029. The decision was made following a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Fund's Founding Members held on April 22 in Astana, which was also attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, Daryo.uz reports.
The meeting summarized the results of Kazakhstan's chairmanship of IFAS for 2023–2026. Participants discussed improving the environmental situation, water resource management, and socioeconomic development in the Aral Sea basin.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev described IFAS as a unique regional structure, the importance of which is growing amid increasing water shortages in Central Asia.
"By 2040, water shortages in the Aral Sea basin could almost double, reaching 20 billion cubic meters per year." This creates risks for drinking water supply, the environment, the agricultural sector, energy, and social stability," the President of Uzbekistan warned.
Uzbekistan has traditionally played an active role in implementing projects to stabilize the Aral Sea: under the Yashil Makon program, over 2 million hectares of afforestation have been established on the dry Aral Seabed, and water-saving technologies and measures to combat desertification are being implemented.
Following the meeting, the heads of state signed the Astana Declaration, as well as a number of decisions:
On the results of Kazakhstan's chairmanship of the IFAS;
On declaring March 26 as the International Day of the Aral Sea, Amu Darya, and Syr Darya Rivers.
Starting in 2027, Uzbekistan will officially assume chairmanship of the fund.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
April 23, 2026