BeNeLux Chamber of Commerce Takes Part in Talks on Expanding Environmental Cooperation Between Kazakhstan and the EU

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov Chairs the 17th Session of the "Kazakhstan – EU" Dialogue Platform on Water Resources and Waste Management.

Participants discussed measures to ensure water security, develop cross-border cooperation, improve water-use efficiency, and transition to a circular economy. The prospects for Kazakhstan's partnership with the EU in deploying environmental technologies, attracting investment and exchanging best practices were also considered.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of rational and sustainable water resource management amid growing pressure on the country's water balance. To address the tasks facing the Government of Kazakhstan — including modernising water infrastructure and improving water-use efficiency, particularly in agriculture — the Concept for the Development of the Water Resource Management System is being implemented. In the context of cross-border cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union, a number of ongoing initiatives were noted positively. In particular, pilot projects in sustainable water use and energy efficiency have been launched under the Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA) programme. The regional Team Europe Initiative on Water, Energy and Climate Change serves as a tool for attracting private investment into Kazakhstan's water sector.

Particular attention was paid to waste management. Over the past 10 years, the share of waste recycling in Kazakhstan has increased from 1% to 25%. The plan is to raise this figure to 40% by 2030. The role of introducing an extended producer responsibility system, developing infrastructure, and deploying waste-to-energy technologies was noted separately.

The Prime Minister emphasised that strengthening the partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union opens up new opportunities for introducing environmental innovations, jointly implementing infrastructure projects, and advancing the green agenda.

"President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attaches great importance to sustainable water resource management and to developing dialogue with international partners, in particular the European Union. Today's meeting is not merely an exchange of views, but a platform for jointly shaping a future in which water is used carefully and fairly, waste becomes a source of value and new energy, and the partnership between Kazakhstan and the EU becomes a benchmark for green development and innovation leadership in the region. I call on all interested parties to join forces to implement concrete projects, introduce new technologies, and transform environmental behaviour. The Government of Kazakhstan is ready to be a reliable partner in these matters," said Olzhas Bektenov.

Speaking on the European side at the dialogue platform session were EU Ambassador Aleška Simkič, German Ambassador Monika Iwersen, Finnish Ambassador Janne Heiskanen, and Netherlands Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Martijn van Buuren; representing European companies were Aqualia's Business Development Director for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Irakli Babukhadia; Daniel Repassy, founder of SOIL SOLUTION LLP and official representative of Water&Soil in Kazakhstan; Lev Appakov, Managing Director for Central Asia and the Caucasus at Xylem; and Abdulla Abdul-Razakov, Regional Manager of the MicroStep-MIS Slovak Consortium Solution for Water Management.

EU Ambassador Aleška Simkič underlined the EU's readiness to support Kazakhstan's key waste-management projects and called for local institutions to actively participate in the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.

As part of the "Green Central Asia" initiative and with the support of Team Europe, Germany will continue developing regional cooperation on water, energy and climate, said Ambassador Monika Iwersen. Key projects include exchanging experience on managing transboundary rivers, preparing climate profiles to prevent natural disasters, and organising a business mission of water-management companies to Kazakhstan.

Finnish Ambassador Janne Heiskanen presented the experience of several Finnish companies already implementing energy-efficient wastewater treatment technologies at industrial and municipal facilities in Kazakhstan, and expressed readiness for further cooperation aimed at sustainable water resource management.

Netherlands representative Martijn van Buuren announced that a consortium of companies from the Netherlands and the BeNeLux countries is ready to implement a project to build a desalination plant in Aktau with a capacity of up to 150,000 m³ of water per day. Support was also expressed for the initiative to create a national flood early-warning system, on which the Dutch group DRRS is working together with Kazakh specialists.

Presentations by European companies raised the issues of introducing water-reuse technologies, reducing losses, and using digital platforms in water resource management. Proposals were put forward on localising production, establishing technical centres, and expanding the practice of mathematical modelling for treatment facilities.

The issues raised were commented on, on the government side, by First Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurlan Aldamzharov, Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Zhomart Aliyev, and Acting Chairman of the Board of the Baiterek Holding, Yersain Khamitov.

Source: primeminister.kz