Oil, water, and ecology: Tokayev outlined priorities for cooperation in the Caspian Sea

Tengrinews.kz — The President of Kazakhstan has shared plans to work with Azerbaijan to increase Kazakh oil exports via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline. The Head of State made this announcement while addressing the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), citing Akorda.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that it is becoming increasingly evident that the Caspian Sea is gaining vital importance for ensuring the energy security of both the region and the world at large.

"Kazakhstan is firmly convinced that the Caspian must remain a space of peace and cooperation for the benefit of all regional states and other nations. It is equally important to preserve it through joint efforts in the areas of water resources and ecology," the President stated.

The Head of State further noted that the environmental dimension of CICA's activities is becoming increasingly relevant. In his view, water scarcity and ecosystem degradation have become some of the most serious challenges facing Asia.

"Asia and the Pacific region are home to 60 percent of the world's population, yet the region accounts for only 35 percent of global water resources. As a result, per capita water availability here is the lowest in the world. Kazakhstan consistently advocates for water resources to remain a source of cooperation. In this regard, we propose establishing a CICA Water Partnership aimed at developing technological exchanges, conducting joint research, and implementing water-saving solutions. In a broader context, Kazakhstan has initiated the creation of an International Water Organization within the UN system to ensure consistency in the global water agenda. This proposal could be put forward jointly by the countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, while remaining open to all CICA member states," the President said.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes that none of these initiatives will achieve sustainability without investment in human capital.

"More than a thousand years ago, the great philosopher and scholar Al-Farabi taught that the strength of a society lies in the knowledge and moral qualities of its people. I call on all participants to begin work on establishing a CICA Human Capital Partnership. Its goal is to prepare the younger generation for life in a world that is rapidly changing under the influence of technological, economic, and geopolitical transformations. We are ready to offer the expert potential of our leading universities and research institutes to contribute to this vital issue. A research scholarship program in the field of security and confidence-building could be launched next year. Kazakhstan is prepared to provide scholarships to students from all 28 CICA member states. Furthermore, Kazakhstan is ready to allocate research grants for scientists from the participating states of the Conference," the Head of State noted.

Concluding his speech, the President of Kazakhstan wished Azerbaijan success in its continued chairmanship of CICA and expressed confidence that the Baku Declaration adopted today would serve as a solid foundation for future work.
As a reminder: yesterday the Head of State arrived in Baku on a working visit to participate in the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
Note: The Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is a major intergovernmental forum established at Kazakhstan's initiative in 1992 to strengthen peace and security on the Asian continent. Today, the organization brings together 28 member states, covering approximately 90 percent of Asia's territory and population, with its permanent secretariat located in Astana.