President of Uzbekistan signs laws on the border with Kyrgyzstan and Andijan Reservoir

On November 30, 2022, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed laws on ratification of the Treaty between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic on certain sections of the State Border and the Agreement on the joint management of water resources of Andijan (Kempir-Abad) Reservoir.

Thanks to the political will of the heads of state, mutual respect and good-neighborly relations between the two fraternal peoples are growing stronger, and agreement is reached on issues that have remained unresolved for 30 years.

These international treaties were signed during the visit of Uzbekistan delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs V. Norov to Bishkek on November 3, 2022. The laws on their ratification were adopted by the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis on November 14, 2022, and approved by the Senate on November 18, 2022. The laws of Kyrgyzstan on the ratification of treaties were signed by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic on November 29, 2022.

The agreement between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic on separate sections of the State Border consists of 13 articles. It determines the borderline with a total length of 302.29 kilometers, including 35 sections of the Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan State border.

4,957 hectares of the territory of Andijan Reservoir and an additional 19.5 hectares for the maintenance and protection of the dam are transferred to Uzbekistan, 1,019 hectares of pasture land are transferred to Kyrgyzstan as compensation.

Kyrgyzstan is also receiving 12,849 hectares in the Govasay section as compensation for the unfinished Kempirabad canal on the left bank of Andijan Reservoir. At the same time, the Kyrgyz side undertakes not to build hydraulic and other structures that impede the natural flow of the Govasay River, and not to allow technical water pollution.

An agreement was reached that the issues of joint management of water resources of Andijan Reservoir and the site with the Chashma spring in Sokh district will be regulated by separate agreements.

Until the completion of demarcation work in certain sections of the Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan State border, control and protection of the state border will be carried out along the boundaries of actual land use.

The agreement on joint management of water resources of Andijan (Kempir-Abad) reservoir consists of 11 articles. A Joint Commission on Joint Management of Water Resources of Andijan Reservoir (co-chair from Uzbekistan – Minister of Water Resources) has been established and regulation on its activities has been approved.

The authorized state bodies of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan responsible for the implementation of the agreement have been identified (on the part of Uzbekistan – the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the State Inspectorate for Controlling the Safety of Water Facilities under the Cabinet of Ministers), as well as the procedure for their interaction.

The agreement reflects the mutual obligations of the parties to the Agreement on the joint management of water resources of Andijan Reservoir.

The Uzbek side undertakes to maintain the water level in the reservoir at a level not higher than 900 meters horizontally, to ensure free access and use of the water of the reservoir by the citizens of Kyrgyzstan (animal watering, irrigation, fishing), and not to install engineering and technical structures around the reservoir. The Kyrgyz side undertook to ensure the establishment of water protection zones and compliance with the water use regime.

Measures have been agreed to be implemented by Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to ensure the safety of Andijan Reservoir. Thus, the Uzbek side ensures the safety of the reservoir, operates it, provides maintenance, discharges water within the limits agreed with the Kyrgyz side.

In general, the completion of the delimitation of the borderline will strengthen relations between the two countries and eliminate all differences on this issue.

In addition, a legal basis is being created for the joint management of the water resources of Andijan Reservoir. It will be possible to continuously supply water to about 8,000 farms, which will allow growing 2.5 million tons of agricultural products and exporting products worth $500 million.

UzA