Water reserves have become one of the most critical strategic issues of the twenty-first century, driven by a range of factors such as climate change, population growth, economic development, and environmental transformation. In particular, the sharing of transboundary water resources among multiple countries is turning water security from a purely environmental or economic issue into a multidimensional matter with diplomatic and international security dimensions. This situation requires that, alongside interstate negotiations, international institutions, research organizations, and civil society actors also be involved in managing water resources.
Central Asia is one of the regions where this shift is most clearly observed in terms of the sharing and management of water reserves. Because the river basins of this geography lie within the borders of more than one state, the use of water resources has become one of the significant elements of international relations. In this context, Kazakhstan has recently made water management and water security a more visible part of its foreign policy agenda, stepping up its institutional and international initiatives in the field of water diplomacy.
One of the notable features of Kazakhstan’s approach to water diplomacy is that this policy has been placed on a more systematic footing within state institutions. The establishment of a Water Diplomacy Department within Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is a concrete indicator of the state’s will to institutionalize its international relations concerning water reserves. Among the department’s principal tasks are coordinating participation in standing intergovernmental commissions on transboundary water resources, supporting negotiations with partner countries, and monitoring the drafting and implementation of international agreements in the field of water resources.[i]
This institutionalization shows that, for Kazakhstan, water diplomacy is not a temporary diplomatic tool used only in times of crisis. Instead, the management of transboundary water resources appears to be treated as a long-term, ongoing field of foreign policy. In this way, the aim is to integrate the technical aspects of water resource management with diplomatic negotiations and to carry out stages of cooperation with different countries more cohesively.
Another important dimension of Kazakhstan’s water diplomacy is its effort to build a new water-governance mechanism at the international level. The proposal to establish a UN-backed International Water Organization, raised during Kazakhstan’s diplomatic contacts in Japan, reveals the global scope of this approach. Underlying this proposal are the aims of strengthening global water governance, increasing coordination among existing international mechanisms, and fostering a more inclusive international dialogue on water issues.[ii]
The fact that this proposal was raised in Japan is noteworthy. In a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Japan, Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev, and the Secretary-General of the Japan Water Forum, Yutaka Hosomi, the two sides discussed current issues on the global water agenda and opportunities for cooperation between the two countries on water resource management. The positive approach taken by the Japanese side toward Kazakhstan’s water diplomacy initiatives during the meeting shows that Astana’s policies in this field are gaining international visibility. In their assessments, representatives of the Japan Water Forum emphasized that water problems cannot be addressed solely in terms of the quantity or technical management of water resources, and that the relationships among water security, climate change, sustainable development, and international security must be considered together. This approach largely coincides with Kazakhstan’s own understanding of water diplomacy. Accordingly, the partnership between the two countries is laying the groundwork not only for the exchange of technical knowledge on water management, but also for assessing water security within a broader framework of sustainability and security.[iii]
Another dimension of the contacts between Kazakhstan and Japan is the academic and civil-society-based partnership taking shape between them. The interest shown by both sides in developing cooperation between their research institutions and civil society organizations demonstrates that water diplomacy is not confined solely to relations between states. This points to the fact that contemporary water diplomacy is evolving toward a more multifaceted structure. The involvement of universities, research centers, civil society organizations, and international platforms in this process can help ensure that water policies are developed on the basis of scientific knowledge and public participation.
Kazakhstan’s participation in the international symposium “Thinking Future of Water,” held as part of Japan Water Week, is also significant in this regard. At the event, Kazakhstan presented the water problems facing itself and Central Asia, together with its own initiatives to address them an appearance that can be seen as part of the country’s broader strategy of bringing regional water issues onto international platforms.[iv]
The steps Kazakhstan has recently taken in the field of water diplomacy show that water reserves are steadily gaining importance on the state’s foreign policy and international-partnership agenda. The establishment of the Water Diplomacy Department is an important step toward building the institutional capacity needed to conduct negotiations and intergovernmental agreements on the management of transboundary water resources in a more coordinated manner.
Kazakhstan’s approach is not focused solely on resolving national or regional water problems. The proposal to establish a UN-backed International Water Organization reveals Astana’s pursuit of addressing water issues at the level of global governance. This proposal stands out as a notable initiative aimed at strengthening coordination among existing international mechanisms and building a more inclusive international partnership in the field of water security.
At the same time, bilateral contacts with Japan constitute an important diplomatic channel supporting this approach on Kazakhstan’s part. The willingness of the two states to develop partnerships among their water resource management authorities, research institutions, and civil society organizations shows that water diplomacy is not limited to intergovernmental negotiations alone. Kazakhstan’s water diplomacy is thus evolving into a multilayered policy field extending from the assurance of regional water security to the advancement of global water governance.
In conclusion, Kazakhstan’s water diplomacy initiatives are significant both for bringing Central Asia’s water problems onto the international agenda and for enhancing the country’s global diplomatic visibility. Going forward, the success of this policy will depend not only on the realization of the proposed international mechanisms, but also on the effective implementation of existing agreements on transboundary water resources, the strengthening of scientific cooperation, and the establishment of a sustainable dialogue based on mutual trust among the countries of the region.
[i]“Kazakhstan’s Water Ministry Establishes Water Diplomacy Department”, Kazakhstan Today, https://www.kt.kz/eng/politics/kazakhstan_s_water_ministry_establishes_water_diplomacy_1377996328.html, (Accessed: 11.08.2026).
[ii]Ibid.
[iii]Ibid.
[iv]“Kazakhstan promotes UN-backed International Water Organization in Japan”, Daryo, https://daryo.uz/en/odQ3tePvg/, (Accessed: 11.08.2026).
