THE HISTORY OF WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN CENTRAL ASIA: THE SOVIET LEGACY AND INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES OF THE INDEPENDENCE PERIOD (1991–2025)

Abstract

The article analyzes the history of the management of transboundary water resources among the states of Central Asia over the period from 1991 to 2025. The study examines the institutional legacy of the centralized water–energy system formed during the Soviet era and the evolution of regional mechanisms in the post-independence period. The main focus is on the diplomatic processes surrounding the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC), the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), and the issue of the Rogun Hydropower Plant.

References

1. Agreement between the Central Asian states on cooperation in the joint management, use, and protection of water resources from interstate sources. — Almaty, 18 February 1992. URL: http://www.icwc-aral.uz/statute1.htm
2. Statute of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia (ICWC). — Tashkent, 5 December 1992. URL: http://www.icwc-aral.uz/statute12.htm
3. Agreement of the heads of the Central Asian states on joint actions to address the problems of the Aral Sea and the Aral region, and the Statute of IFAS. — Kyzylorda, 26 March 1993.
4. Nukus Declaration of the Central Asian states and international organizations on the problems of sustainable development of the Aral Sea basin. — Nukus, 20 September 1995.
5. Decision of the heads of the Central Asian states on the reorganization of the structure of IFAS. — Almaty, 28 February 1997.
6. Agreement on the status of IFAS and its organizations. — Tashkent, 29 May 1997. URL: http://www.icwc-aral.uz/statute3.htm
7. Agreement between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan on the use of the water and energy resources of the Syr Darya basin. — Bishkek, 17 March 1998.
8. Protocol No. 566. Meeting of the Scientific-Technical Council of the USSR Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Management of 10 September 1987. Approved by Minister N. F. Vasiliev on 3 December 1987.
9. Resolutions of the UN General Assembly on strengthening cooperation between IFAS and the UN: A/RES/63/133 (2008), A/RES/72/273 (2018), A/RES/73/297 (2019), A/RES/75/266 (2021).
10. Meeting and joint communiqué of the Council of the Founding States of IFAS. — Turkmenbashi, 24 August 2018.
11. Meeting of the Council of the Founding States of IFAS and the Dushanbe Statement. — Dushanbe, 14–15 September 2023.
12. Meeting of the Council of the Founding States of IFAS and the Astana Statement. — Astana, 22 April 2026.
13. Mirziyoyev Sh. M. Speech at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. — New York, 19 September 2017. URL: https://president.uz
14. Dukhovny V.A., Sokolov V.I. Integrated Water Resources Management: Experience and Lessons Learned from Central Asia. — Tashkent: SIC ICWC, 2003. — 152 p.
15. Dukhovny V.A., de Schutter J. Water in Central Asia: Past, Present, Future. — Leiden: CRC Press / Balkema, 2011. — 408 p.
16. Horsman S. Uzbekistan’s new regionalism: Central Asian cooperation during Mirziyoyev’s first presidential term // Journal of Eurasian Studies. — 2020. — Vol. 11, No. 2. — P. 141–150.
17. Janusz-Pawletta B., Gubaidullina M. Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia: Legal Framework to Strengthen Interstate Cooperation and Increase Regional Security // Cahiers d’Asie centrale. — 2015. —
18. No. 25. — P. 195–215.
19. Mosello B. How to Deal with Climate Change? Institutional Adaptive Capacity as a Means to Promote Sustainable Water Governance. — Cham: Springer, 2015. — 220 p.
20. O’Hara S.L. Lessons from the past: water management in Central Asia // Water Policy. — 2000. — Vol. 2,
21. Iss. 4–5. — P. 365–384.
22. Sehring J. The politics of water institutional reform in neopatrimonial states: a comparative analysis of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. — Wiesbaden: VS Verlag, 2009. — 285 p.
23. Wegerich K., Olsson O., Froebrich J. Reliving the past in a changed environment: hydropower ambitions, opportunities and constraints in Tajikistan // Energy Policy. — 2007. — Vol. 35, No. 7. — P. 3815–3825.
24. Zhupankhan A., Tussupova K., Berndtsson R. Could Changing Power Relationships Lead to Better Water Sharing in Central Asia? // Water. — 2017. — Vol. 9, No. 2. — P. 139.
25. Rogun Dam Project: Evolution from Conflict to Cooperation between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan // Frontiers in Water. — 2025. — Vol. 13. — Article 1680799.
26. Water Infrastructure in Central Asia: Legal and Institutional Frameworks // Frontiers in Climate. — 2023. —
27. Vol. 5. — Article 1284400.
28. Aral Sea Basin Program (ASBP-1) 1994–1997: Final Report. — IFAS Executive Committee, 1998.
29. OECD. Reforming Economic Instruments for Water Resources Management in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan: Central Asia Water Management Report. — Paris: OECD Publishing, 2020. — 145 p.
30. International Crisis Group. End the Weaponisation of Water in Central Asia. Briefing No. 87. — Bishkek/Brussels, 2018.
31. World Bank. Assessment Studies for Proposed Rogun Hydropower Project: Techno-Economic Assessment Study (TEAS) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). — Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2014.
32. Central Asia: Emerging from the Shadows. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus / Clingendael Institute. — Hague, 2025. URL: https://www.clingendael.org
33. Global Water Partnership. Integrated Water Resources Management in Central Asia: Technical Focus Paper. — Stockholm: GWP, 2014. URL: https://www.gwp.org
34. Official website of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia. URL: http://www.icwc-aral.uz (accessed 20.06.2026).
35. Official website of the IFAS Executive Committee (Kazakhstan). URL: https://ecifas.kz (accessed 20.06.2026).
36. Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in the Republic of Kazakhstan. URL: https://kazaral.org (accessed 20.06.2026).
37. Official website of SIC ICWC — the Scientific-Information Center. URL: http://sic.icwc-aral.uz (accessed 20.06.2026).
38. CAWater-Info: Central Asia water information system. URL: http://www.cawater-info.net (accessed 20.06.2026).