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EDB Chief Economist: Central Asian Actions on Water Might Carry Lessons to the World

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Evgeny Vinokurov, Vice-Chairman and Chief Economist of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), presented the EDB research on Central Asia’s water and energy challenges at the ADFIAP Annual Meeting 2025 in Muscat. The plenary session highlighted urgent issues and actionable strategies for sustainable water management in the region.

The key findings of the EDB’s think tank in regards to the challenges Central Asia faces in the Water and Energy Complex:

  • Central Asia’s glaciers have shrunk by 30% in 50 years, and water flow is declining despite growing demand
  • 10 million people lack safe drinking water, while outdated infrastructure leads to 40-55% water loss
  • Without intervention, annual water scarcity could reach 5-12km³ by 2028
  • Facing supply constraints, improving the quality of demand is critical: water conservation is key to managing scarce water resources

Evgeny also voiced EDB’s proposed applied solutions, which include:

  • Modernising Irrigation: as irrigation accounts for 90% of water consumption, adopting digital water metering and precision irrigation could save 20-30% of water
  • Boosting Local Production: Central Asia imports USD200 million in irrigation equipment and will need up to USD400 million worth of equipment yearly; domestic manufacturing could meet rising demand, and Central Asia will have a globally competitive industry
  • Mobilising Investments: A USD12 billion funding gap in drinking water and sanitation should be addressed through public-private partnerships and public development banks

The EDB Chief Economist also highlighted the current large-scale commitments at the national level, where Kazakhstan is targeting expanding water-saving irrigation technologies to 150,000 ha/year by 2030, Uzbekistan plans on 15 billion m³ in water savings, and Kyrgyzstan constructing 106 new reservoirs to secure supply.

As we at the EDB say time and time again, Central Asia’s water challenges demand immediate action based on regional cooperation. Our research provides a roadmap for efficiency, investment and regional cooperation to prevent severe economic and environmental losses. This is why the water-energy nexus is one of our Bank’s key priorities and we see and act on it as our priority both investment-wise and research-wise. We continue producing groundbreaking research on the topic, including, in the recent months, Irrigation Equipment Production in Central Asia: Industrializing the Water Sector and The Irtysh River Basin: Transboundary Challenges and Practical Solutions.

Evgeny Vinokurov, Vice-Chairman and Chief Economist of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB)

The publications on water, energy and agriculture are available at the EDB website.

About Eurasian Development Bank (EDB)
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral development bank investing in Eurasia. For more than 18 years, the Bank has worked to strengthen and expand economic ties and foster comprehensive development in its member countries. By 2025, the EDB’s cumulative portfolio comprised 305 projects with a total investment of USD16.5 billion. The Bank’s portfolio consists principally of projects with an integration effect in transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy, agriculture, manufacturing and mechanical engineering. The Bank’s operations are guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ESG principles.