According to him, Kyrgyzstan, without receiving water from other countries, uses less than 30 percent of its own water resources, while the remaining significant portion is consumed by other countries.

«However, we should admit frankly: today, our country is not receiving adequate compensation for these efforts. Moreover, for decades, we have been bearing the burden of lost profits, including revenues lost due to the withdrawal of land from development for reservoirs and infrastructure that benefits the entire region. Maintaining hydraulic structures and preserving glaciers in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan requires colossal expenditures. Over the past year alone, Kyrgyzstan allocated approximately $80 million for water management needs, and $259 million over the past five years.

Despite these efforts, the resources of one country are insufficient to modernize the outdated infrastructure. We need additional, consolidated resources to build an effective and modern water management system in all countries of the region,» the Deputy Cabinet Chairman noted.

Erlist Akunbekov also recalled that, as President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov noted at the recent regional environmental summit in Astana, the time has come to renew and implement a mutually beneficial economic compensation mechanism in the water and energy sector. He stated that it is fair to implement compensation mechanisms that will allow upstream countries to effectively maintain water infrastructure for the benefit of all of Central Asia.