Water security in the turkic world: shared interests and common solutions

Water is a precious blessing that transcends national borders and has long connected peoples and civilizations. Climate change, population and economic growth, prolonged droughts, shrinking glaciers, pollution of water sources, and rising demand are compelling countries to fundamentally rethink how this vital resource is managed.

The Turkic states are not immune to these challenges. Across a vast geography — from the snow- and glacier-fed rivers of Central Asia to the mountain waterways and arid regions of the Caucasus and Anatolia — water remains one of the key factors shaping economic development and public well-being.

Despite differences in natural and geographical conditions, the water-related interests of the Turkic states are largely shared. In some regions, the rational management of transboundary water resources is the foremost priority; in others, the focus is on adapting to drought, modernizing irrigation networks, reducing water losses, and generating greater economic value from every cubic meter of water.

Against this backdrop, water security is emerging as one of the most promising and strategically important areas of cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

Water Security Is a Shared Development Imperative

Water security cannot be understood simply in terms of whether sufficient water is available. In the modern sense, it means ensuring reliable access to adequate quantities of safe, high-quality water for people, the economy, and ecosystems; preparing for hazards such as droughts and floods; maintaining resilient water infrastructure; and using available resources efficiently.

Climate-driven shifts in the water balance are affecting each country in different ways, from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye. In this context, water security is becoming not only a national priority but also a shared strategic concern for the Turkic world.

Environmental sustainability and climate change feature prominently in the strategic documents of the Organization of Turkic States. The “Turkic World Vision 2040” and the OTS Strategy for 2022–2026 identify environmental protection, climate action, and the sustainable use of natural resources as key areas of cooperation.

At the 11th OTS Summit, held in Bishkek on November 6, 2024, the strategic document “Turkic Green Vision: Unity for a Sustainable Future” was adopted. It sets out priorities including the wider use of resource-efficient and water-saving technologies, sustainable water resources management, the protection of glaciers and biodiversity, and action against land degradation and desertification.

In recent years, the cooperation agenda of the Turkic states has expanded well beyond trade, transport, and cultural ties to include issues that directly shape sustainable development, including water, climate, and ecology.

From Water Dialogue to Practical Cooperation

A number of practical steps are already being taken in the water sector within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States. In May 2024, the OTS and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye held a dedicated seminar on “Effective Water Use”. Experts from member and observer states exchanged experience on irrigation management under climate change, efficient water use during droughts, and modern agricultural technologies.

Another important institution is the OTS Drought Prevention Institute (DPI). Based in Budapest, the Institute contributes to cooperation in water management, irrigation, drought prevention, and environmental protection.

On June 18, 2026, our Ministry held a meeting with Balázs Hendrich, Executive Director of the Representation Office of the Organization of Turkic States in Hungary and Chairman of the Board of the OTS Drought Prevention Institute. The discussions focused on drought-risk assessment, early warning systems, climate-risk assessment and management, and the broader introduction of water-saving technologies and modern approaches to water resources management.

The parties also agreed to establish cooperation between the Drought Prevention Institute and the Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems under our Ministry.

The OTS Regional Water Forum, held in Brussels on March 5, 2025, marked an important step in advancing cooperation in this field. The Forum addressed sustainable water resources management, modern water technologies, investment in green growth, and resilience to drought.

Taken together, these developments show that water within the OTS is gradually moving from a general subject of dialogue to a field of scientific, institutional, and practical cooperation. The next task is to reinforce this progress through systematic and effective mechanisms.

Digitalization — the New Language of Water Cooperation

Modern water management is impossible without advanced digital technologies. Satellite monitoring of snow cover and glaciers, assessment of soil moisture and drought conditions, remote monitoring of reservoir storage, automated measurement of canal flows, and artificial-intelligence-based forecasting of hydrological processes are no longer experimental concepts; they are becoming indispensable tools of contemporary water management.

Speaking at the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Turkistan on May 15, 2026, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward several important initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation and ushering in a new era of digital development across the Turkic world. In particular, he emphasized the importance of early drought detection, regular monitoring of soil erosion and glacier melting, and the broad application of artificial intelligence in transboundary water resource management.

This initiative opens up new opportunities for cooperation in the water sector. When countries rely on compatible technological platforms, harmonized measurement standards, and reliable data, transparency and mutual confidence in water relations also increase. In this sense, digitalization can become not only an effective water-management tool but also an important instrument of water diplomacy.

The Water–Energy–Food Nexus

Water can no longer be managed as an isolated sector. Decisions in water management affect agriculture and energy, while decisions in those sectors, in turn, influence water regimes and food security.

In Central Asia in particular, closer coordination of water and energy planning — and an optimal balance between winter energy demand and summer irrigation needs — would serve the common interests of the region.

The key question, therefore, is not simply “How should water be distributed?” but rather “How can we maximize the overall economic and social benefits generated by the water available to us?” The balanced development of efficient irrigation, renewable energy, and water-saving technologies provides a practical path toward that goal.

With such an approach, water can become a strategic resource that generates shared benefits rather than a source of competition among countries.

We Cannot Easily Increase Water Supply, but We Can Improve Efficiency

Under conditions of water scarcity, one of the most important tasks is to use existing resources more efficiently. This requires modernizing aging irrigation infrastructure, reducing conveyance losses in canals, digitalizing water accounting, expanding drip and sprinkler irrigation, and applying scientifically grounded crop-water requirements.

In Uzbekistan, 1,870 kilometers of canals were lined with concrete between 2020 and 2025 using state budget funds. In 2026, a further 1,300 kilometers of major canals are being lined. These measures are designed to reduce seepage losses, improve the technical condition of irrigation networks, and ensure a more reliable water supply for users.

The area covered by water-saving technologies in Uzbekistan has reached 3.2 million hectares, accounting for nearly 75 percent of irrigated land.

Alongside water conservation, particular attention is being paid to improving the condition of irrigated land and drainage systems. Between 2017 and 2026, 7,160 kilometers of collector-drainage networks were constructed or reconstructed, while repair and rehabilitation works were carried out along 127,833 kilometers of networks.

Ten information systems have been developed for the sector and integrated through a “Unified Water Management Platform”. To improve water accounting and monitoring, 13,305 “Smart Water” devices have been installed and 108 major water-management facilities have been automated. Online systems for monitoring water levels and reservoir storage are also being introduced at major reservoirs.

Comparable reforms are being pursued in different forms across other Turkic states. Within the OTS, the systematic exchange of best practices in irrigation, hydrology, water accounting, modern infrastructure, and water-saving technologies can deliver significant practical value.

One of the most effective approaches is to identify proven solutions and adapt them to local conditions.

Science and Human Capital — a Long-Term Solution

Water challenges cannot be solved with concrete, pumps, and pipelines alone. Modern irrigation systems require specialists equipped with up-to-date knowledge, technical skills, and a capacity for innovation. Strengthening scientific and educational cooperation in the water sector within the OTS is therefore of particular importance.

At the 2026 Turkistan Summit, it was announced that 50 grants had been allocated to young people from Turkic states for the 2026–2027 academic year at the Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies in Tashkent. This is a practical step toward building a shared scientific and educational environment in the fields of ecology and climate.

Looking ahead, joint master’s and doctoral programs in water management should be established, while exchanges among young researchers and joint scientific projects should be expanded. A “Water School of the Turkic States” could serve as a common platform for dialogue among hydrologists, hydraulic engineers, water-diplomacy specialists, and digitalization experts.

Investment in human capital of this kind will generate long-term and sustainable benefits for the water sector.

Water Should Unite Us, Not Divide Us

Water security is not the responsibility of government institutions alone. The way millions of people use water in their daily lives also has a direct bearing on the overall outcome.

Respect for water is deeply rooted in the historical traditions of the Turkic peoples. Ancient cities were established around water sources; canals and irrigation ditches were maintained through collective labor; and careful stewardship of water remained part of everyday life for centuries.

Today, this tradition must be enriched with contemporary meaning by promoting water literacy among younger generations and explaining the economic and environmental value of water more widely to the public and to farmers.

In this context, joint information and educational initiatives within the OTS, built around the principle that “Water conservation is a shared value”, can bring our peoples even closer together and strengthen a culture of responsible water use.

The Turkic peoples share a common history, linguistic affinity, and cultural roots. The idea of unity and harmony expressed by the great thinker Ahmad Yasawi in his “Devoni Hikmat” resonates with even greater force today:

I showed love to the Turkic people,

I knew the path of unity to be true.

Indeed, if we can unite the intellectual potential, scientific capabilities, and creative energy of our countries, we can lay a strong foundation for the Turkic world to become a space of advanced solutions, sustainable development, and prosperity. Water security can become one of the forces that unites us on this path.

The formula for water security in the twenty-first century therefore rests on cooperation, science, technology, accurate measurement, and conservation. The Organization of Turkic States has every opportunity to translate these principles into practical action.

 Shavkat Khamraev,
 Minister of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan