Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry Official Praises Saudi Water Management Technologies
The Kazakh official highlights the potential for cooperation between Kazakhstan's proposed International Water Organization and Saudi Arabia's Global Water Organization.
An official from Kazakhstan’s foreign ministry has praised Saudi Arabia’s water sector achievements, emphasizing that the Kingdom’s technical expertise can contribute to the success of a proposed international water organization in Kazakhstan.
Zulfiya Suleimenova, an ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, commended Saudi Arabia for its effective use of technologies and strategies in managing water resources during the Regional Ecological Summit held from April 22-24 in Astana.Suleimenova, who chaired consultations on establishing Kazakhstan’s International Water Organization under the UN framework, noted that this initiative was launched in response to global challenges such as increasing water scarcity and fragmented mandates.
She highlighted that many countries have already supported this new initiative less than half a year after its announcement in December 2025.The discussions involved representatives from 21 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Suleimenova stated that the Global Water Organization founded by Saudi Arabia focuses on practical and technology-driven objectives, which complements Kazakhstan’s high-level consolidation and coordination initiative for the United Nations.Suleimenova explained that while the mission is not to overshadow existing global water bodies such as the Global Water Organization, World Water Council, and International Water Management Institute, it aims to form a complementary body.
The Kazakh official said that there will be close collaboration between Kazakhstan's proposed organization and Saudi Arabia’s Global Water Organization.During her tenure as Kazakhstan’s minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in 2023, Suleimenova visited Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
She acknowledged that Saudi Arabia has successfully managed its water resources despite challenging conditions, inspiring Kazakhstan to adopt similar strategies.Speakers at the summit included Yermek Kosherbayev, the Kazakh minister of foreign affairs; Li Junhua, UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs and 2026 UN Water Conference secretary-general; and Retno Marsudi, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy on water, who delivered a video message.
The roundtable was attended by several Saudi officials from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
Zulfiya Suleimenova, an ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, commended Saudi Arabia for its effective use of technologies and strategies in managing water resources during the Regional Ecological Summit held from April 22-24 in Astana.Suleimenova, who chaired consultations on establishing Kazakhstan’s International Water Organization under the UN framework, noted that this initiative was launched in response to global challenges such as increasing water scarcity and fragmented mandates.
She highlighted that many countries have already supported this new initiative less than half a year after its announcement in December 2025.The discussions involved representatives from 21 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Suleimenova stated that the Global Water Organization founded by Saudi Arabia focuses on practical and technology-driven objectives, which complements Kazakhstan’s high-level consolidation and coordination initiative for the United Nations.Suleimenova explained that while the mission is not to overshadow existing global water bodies such as the Global Water Organization, World Water Council, and International Water Management Institute, it aims to form a complementary body.
The Kazakh official said that there will be close collaboration between Kazakhstan's proposed organization and Saudi Arabia’s Global Water Organization.During her tenure as Kazakhstan’s minister of Ecology and Natural Resources in 2023, Suleimenova visited Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli, the Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
She acknowledged that Saudi Arabia has successfully managed its water resources despite challenging conditions, inspiring Kazakhstan to adopt similar strategies.Speakers at the summit included Yermek Kosherbayev, the Kazakh minister of foreign affairs; Li Junhua, UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs and 2026 UN Water Conference secretary-general; and Retno Marsudi, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy on water, who delivered a video message.
The roundtable was attended by several Saudi officials from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
