Water, AI and biodiversity: Tokayev outlines priority areas of regional cooperation

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for the wide use of technological progress to preserve biodiversity, according to Tengrinews, which cited the press service of the Akorda presidential administration. He spoke at the COP17 leaders' summit on biodiversity conservation held in the Armenian capital.

Tokayev named water resources management as one of the areas requiring closer coordination. He recalled that last year Kazakhstan proposed creating an International Water Organization within the UN system, an initiative that Central Asian countries and all interested states could support. He said the goal is to strengthen water security and protect river, lake and wetland ecosystems.

Tokayev said digital technologies and artificial intelligence should underpin effective partnership in monitoring ecosystems, managing natural resources and forecasting environmental risks. He proposed using the Alem.AI international AI centre in Astana as a platform for joint research, biodiversity data analysis and specialist training. He also proposed locating a regional office of the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat in Almaty. Finally, he called on five states to mobilise efforts to save the Caspian seal.