Switzerland and Kazakhstan reaffirmed their partnership in water governance and regional cooperation during a series of high-level meetings and technical consultations held from 28 November to 2 December 2025. The discussions highlighted shared priorities in sustainable water management, climate resilience and regional stability in Central Asia.
On 2 December 2025, Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), received Kazakhstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yermek Kosherbayev, on an official visit to Bern. The meeting focused on bilateral relations, regional cooperation in Central Asia and Switzerland’s upcoming OSCE Chairpersonship in 2026. Both sides underlined the strong partnership between the two countries, characterized by regular high-level exchanges, cooperation within the Bretton Woods institutions, and growing economic ties.
During the visit, Christian Frutiger, Vice Director General of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and Nurlan Aldamzharov, Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the continued implementation of the Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative. The agreement reinforces both countries’ commitment to strengthening transboundary water cooperation and promoting sustainable, climate-resilient water governance across the region.
On 28 November in Almaty, groundwater experts and practitioners gathered to discuss Kazakhstan’s Concept for the Integrated Use of Groundwater Resources. The roundtable was supported by the BPCA initiative, funded by SDC and implemented by IWMI, IUCN and CAREC. Participants examined the key role groundwater plays in Kazakhstan’s water security, noting that the country abstracts around 7.2 km³ of groundwater per year, of which 49% is used for drinking water, 45% for irrigation and 6% for industrial needs. Kazakhstan has 4,803 explored deposits with identified reserves of 43.2 million m³ per day, and groundwater currently supplies around 40% of the national water demand. However, less than 1% of irrigation-suitable groundwater is being utilized.
To improve the management of these critical resources, the government established JSC Kazgidrogeologiya in 2024 as the national operator responsible for inventory, monitoring, exploration and digital management of groundwater.
Across both high-level meetings and technical discussions, the BPCA initiative emerged as a key platform for collective action on shared water challenges in Central Asia. The program will continue supporting Kazakhstan in advancing groundwater management, improving monitoring systems and facilitating regional dialogue on shared aquifers and transboundary rivers.
