Majilis adopts law on transboundary water use
Majilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, adopted the bill “On ratification of the Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses,” Kazinform News Agency reports.
The Convention was adopted on May 21, 1997, in New York and is applied towards the use of international watercourses, their waters for other than navigation purposes and the measures of protection, preservation and management in such a use of these watercourses and their waters.
37 countries are the parties to the Convention. Of the countries bordering Kazakhstan, the Republic of Uzbekistan is the only one that joined the Convention (since 2007). The Convention is a global framework document outlining the principles of the international water law, intersectoral interaction, water and environment aspects of international watercourses and target indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals, minister of water resources and irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov said.
In his words, the Convention is a global legal mechanism contributing to a just and sustainable management of transboundary rivers and lakes and underground waters connected with them.
Given that Kazakhstan participates actively in international water events and issues statements propagating the advantages of transboundary water cooperation, joining the Convention will enhance Kazakhstan’s positions in the cooperation with the neighboring countries in use and protection of transboundary rivers based on the international law principles, the minister added.