The growing effects of climate change and water scarcity will increase tensions between Central Asian states in the years to come, and while greater regional integration and cooperation are likely in the short to medium term, the risk of violent state conflict will increase in the long term. On Aug. 9, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hosted the leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for the 6th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State of Central Asia, where he said that regional cooperation had reached an unprecedented level and provided examples of how the countries were resolving issues related to international borders, migration, and mutual trade barriers. But Tokayev singled out the management of water and energy resources as areas needing greater regional cooperation, in particular highlighting the need to develop a new unified water policy based on fair water use and strict fulfillment of mutual obligations. He called for the...
