In his state-of-the-nation address, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the establishment of two new ministries. One of them is the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. According to the Head of State, water resources are as vital for the country as oil, gas or metals. Considering the projected growth in population and the economy, the water scarcity in the country may reach 12-15 billion cubic meters by 2040. Therefore, the efficient development of the water management system requires the establishment of a dedicated ministry. The National Hydrogeological Service will also be reestablished within the relevant ministry. Additionally, the Head of State emphasized the need to accelerate the adoption of advanced water-saving technologies, targeting 150,000 hectares per year. Overall, it is necessary to reconstruct at least 15 existing reservoirs and build 20 new ones as well as modernize and digitize at least 3.5 thousand kilometers of canals. The goal is to ensure an additional approximately two cubic kilometers of water supply by 2027.
Another ministry set to be established is the Ministry of Transport, which will focus on road infrastructure development. President Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan should strengthen its position as a transit hub in Eurasia and eventually evolve into a fully-fledged transport and logistics powerhouse. To this end, it is necessary to strengthen maritime infrastructure and transit potential. The Head of State emphasized that Kazakhstan is located at the crossroads of routes linking the global North and South, West and East.
