October 30, Paris. Kuryltai member and Deputy Chair of the Committee on Agrarian Issues, Ecology, and Natural Resources Aizhan Skakova held a series of working meetings at UNESCO and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on water security, ecology, and climate adaptation.
At UNESCO Headquarters, Aizhan Skakova participated in the 8th Extraordinary Session of the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP).
In November 2025, Kazakhstan was elected to the Intergovernmental Council of the UNESCO IHP for the 2025-2029 term, opening up additional opportunities to advance national initiatives and strengthen international scientific cooperation in the water sector.
The session's agenda included the development of international indicators for water education (Water Education Indicator), the development of the UNESCO Hydro Heritage Sites initiative, and a review of the Water Positive Framework, which envisions new approaches to sustainable water resources management.
As part of the visit, a working meeting was held with Dr. Anil Mishra, Chief of the Hydrological Systems, Climate Change, and Adaptation Section of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme.
The meeting was attended by Askar Abdrakhmanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Kazakhstan to UNESCO and other international organizations.
The parties discussed prospects for Kazakhstan's participation in the UN Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences 2025-2034, which aims to expand research on glaciers, snow cover, and permafrost, and develop systems for monitoring and forecasting climate change.
Special attention was paid to the further development of the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre under the auspices of UNESCO. In December 2025, Kazakhstan ratified the agreement renewing its status. In this regard, strengthening the scientific potential of the centre, expanding international research, and developing regional cooperation in glacier research are pressing priorities.
Furthermore, UNESCO expressed interest in Kazakhstan's active participation in the Green Water Initiative, dedicated to the conservation and efficient use of soil moisture. Aizhan Skakova continued her international work program with her participation in the 9th meeting of the OECD Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee in Paris.
On the sidelines of the event, a meeting was held with representatives of the OECD Environment Directorate, during which prospects for cooperation in environmental policy, water resources management, environmental risk assessment, and climate adaptation were discussed.
One of the central topics was water security in the southern regions of Kazakhstan. Currently, with the participation of the OECD, work is underway to assess water risks in the Kyzylorda and Turkestan regions.
Rational use of water resources, climate adaptation, development of environmental science, and international cooperation are among the priority areas of work of the Committee on Agrarian Issues, Ecology, and Natural Resources of the Kuryltai of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Aizhan Skakova noted that the results of the meetings and discussions are of interest for the further improvement of national legislation, the development of scientific and expert interaction, and the preparation of recommendations for improving the effectiveness of state policy in natural resource management.
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