At a recent parliamentary meeting, Gulya Kozhokulova proposed establishing a specialized agency to manage the country's water resources. She emphasized that, considering global climate changes, effective management of water resources requires the creation of an authority with expanded powers. According to the deputy, issues related to water resources remain among the most significant on the international stage, highlighting the need to separate this area from the jurisdiction of existing ministries.
Currently, water resource management in Kyrgyzstan is carried out by the Water Resources Service, which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture. Kozhokulova's proposal aims to elevate the status of water sector management, following the example of neighboring countries.
It is worth noting that independent agencies responsible for water resources have already been established in Central Asian countries. For example, Uzbekistan has had a Ministry of Water Management since 2018, and Kazakhstan established a Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation in 2023. In Turkmenistan, a separate State Committee handles water issues, which reports to the government, while in Tajikistan, these functions are performed by the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources.
