Kyrgyzstan says neighbours “upset” by country’s lack of water

Some of Kyrgyzstan’s downstream neighbours “are upset” to hear from the mountainous country that its water shortages have intensified “but it’s visible, there is less water and this causes huge direct losses”, according to a top official.

Deputy Chairman of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers Edil Baisalov gave his stark assessment at a National Climate Dialogue gathering held in Bishkek.

In water and food security, it is most particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that are reliant on agreements with Kyrgyzstan for water supplies vital to irrigation and other needs.

But Baisalov, according to a report from 24KG, told the meeting: “The hydrological cycle in Kyrgyzstan has changed. This year we were supposed to overcome water shortages, but instead, they have intensified.”

Two weeks ago, Kyrgyzstan’s energy minister Taalaibek Ibraev informed the country that a harsh winter with power cuts awaits given that that the volume of water in Toktogul Reservoir, a facility on the Naryn River that feeds many Kyrgyz hydroelectric plants, is at its lowest level for this time of year in more than a decade. 

Baisalov also reportedly talked of huge expenditure that must be invested to save every drop of water, with large-scale irrigation infrastructure projects required as well as projects delivering a water-saving transition to drip irrigation.

He was further cited as saying: “We need to bring drip irrigation to every tree, bush and root crop. This is a huge expense for us. But the state leadership has said that we must do everything so that there is enough water not only for ourselves but also for our neighbours.

“I want to address some of our neighbours who allocate a paltry amount annually to maintain our hydrological facilities. What is $600,000? It’s practically nothing. I think it would be better for us to refuse this money just so they don’t make demands [on Kyrgyzstan’s water].

“This is not the 1990s or 2000s. We are spending billions of som to preserve water not only for ourselves but also for downstream countries. We must unite our efforts within the country, the region and globally.”

The deputy head of the cabinet also referred to the worsening impacts of climate change on Kyrgyzstan. He talked of more frequent extreme weather events, shrinking water resources, the degradation of the ecosystem and threats to food security from impacts on agriculture.

Coordinated and ambitious action would be necessary to address all of these challenges, 24KG reported him as concluding.