Qadırlı hanymdar men myrzalar!

Let me extend my warm greetings to all the participants of the First Meeting of the Coordination Council of Partners for Water Sector Development. 

I would also like to thank the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, for hosting this important event and bringing us together in pursuit of a common goal. 

We are deeply grateful for the confidence shown in UNDP by entrusting us with the co-chairmanship of this Council. We remain fully committed to supporting the Council’s work throughout the upcoming year, ensuring that our collaborative efforts lead to significant progress in the development of the water sector.

Today’s Partners’ Meeting marks a significant milestone in addressing the pressing challenges facing Kazakhstan’s water sector and promoting sustainable water management practices across the country.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that ‘water unites all of us’ and ‘must be at centre of global political agenda’. We know that 80 percent of the impacts of climate change are water related. Global ecosystems are threatened by extreme floods, droughts, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels. 

Therefore, today water is a vital part of the global, regional, and national dialogues about the climate change impact, as our collaborative efforts and actions are the only way towards a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive water-secure future for people and the planet.

This year, Kazakhstan also witnessed devastating floods, which were preceded by severe droughts and a significant shortage of transboundary water for irrigation in southern Kazakhstan. Since 1960, the average annual river runoff has decreased by 12.5 km³, further worsening our water scarcity issues. These events are becoming more frequent and intense, threatening both the livelihoods of our people and the stability of our environment.

In light of these pressing needs, this year UNDP with financial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) launched a project aimed at integrating climate adaptation into strategic planning with focus on water sector in Kazakhstan. 

Solving these problems requires the pooling of our resources, financial investment, technical expertise, and innovation. The complexity of these challenges means that no one government or organisation can tackle them alone. We must work together regionally and globally to ensure that the necessary support is provided where it is needed most.

For over 30 years, UNDP has been a trusted and reliable partner to Kazakhstan, consistently supporting the country in addressing key development challenges, including those related to biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainable water management. Today, at the First Meeting of the Coordination Council of Partners for Water Sector Development, I am proud to reaffirm our commitment to this vital partnership. 

I wish all of us today fruitful cooperation and long-term collaboration in the water sector, which is essential for the sustainable development of the country.

Kop rakhmet!