Khiva-Ashgabat, January 30 | ORIENT. The fifth meeting of the Joint Turkmen-Uzbek Intergovernmental Commission on Water Management Issues was held in Khiva. The meeting confirmed that the management of shared water resources remains a key factor in regional security and food stability for Ashgabat and Tashkent.

The Turkmen delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Tangryguly Atakhalliyev, and the Uzbek delegation was led by Presidential Advisor on Agricultural Development Shukhrat Ganiev. The high-profile status of the participants underscores the strategic importance of the issues discussed for the agro-industrial complexes of both countries.

The meeting participants focused on the implementation of specific tools:

• Digitalization and accounting: the parties agreed to improve mechanisms for monitoring and accurately accounting for water resources.

• Rational water use: sharing experiences in implementing modern irrigation technologies.

• Climate resilience: developing joint measures to minimize drought risks and adapt agriculture to climate change.

Following the meeting, an official Protocol was signed. The document enshrines the parties' intention not only to hold regular consultations but also to strengthen the legal framework for cooperation. This effectively means creating a transparent mechanism for the distribution and use of water, based on principles of equality and consideration of national interests.

For Central Asia, the "water issue" has often been a stumbling block, but Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan demonstrate the opposite. Shifting the discussion to the realm of IT monitoring and human resource development in the sector transforms water diplomacy into a powerful tool for integration, eliminating future conflicts of interest.