The plan is to construct and reconstruct 8 reservoirs, as well as repair 115 channels, with funding from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) allocated for the first phase, according to the business information center Kapital.kz, citing the press service of the Ministry of National Economy.
“The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is investing $1.1 billion in Kazakhstan’s water management sector. In the first phase, the funds provided by the IDB are intended for the construction and reconstruction of 8 reservoirs and the major repair of 115 channels,” the agency reported, referencing Vice Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov.
During his speech at the high-level session “Unlocking Financing for Climate-Resilient Water Investments in IDB Member Countries” at the UN Climate Change Conference — COP29 in Baku, he highlighted the pressing issues in the water sector, shared Kazakhstan's experience, and discussed plans to address existing challenges, as well as strategic investments in sustainable water resource management.
“To reform and transform the water sector in our country, a new agency has been established — the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, a new Water Code has been developed, and the Concept for the Development of Water Resource Management System and the Comprehensive Development Plan for the Water Sector have been approved,” the Vice Prime Minister informed the participants of the event.
According to him, in the medium term, Kazakhstan has set the goal of constructing 20 new reservoirs and reconstructing at least 15 existing ones, as well as repairing and digitizing no less than 3,500 kilometers of channels.