Kazakhstan’s initiative has gained high-profile support. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has publicly backed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s proposal to establish an International Water Organization under the auspices of the United Nations and expressed hope that the project will be implemented, DKNews.kz reports.
Ban Ki-moon made the remarks in an interview with 24KZ. His position was unequivocal: the former UN chief asked for his “full support” to be conveyed to the President of Kazakhstan.
Ban Ki-moon links water scarcity to the risk of conflict
The key point of the interview went beyond a diplomatic gesture of support. Ban Ki-moon focused on the scale of the water challenge itself, describing water as both the foundation of life and a resource whose scarcity can contribute to conflict.
“Water is the foundation of life. Without it, neither humans, animals nor plants can survive. On the one hand, water scarcity becomes a cause of conflicts. On the other hand, water is a source of life, health and prosperity. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said that the highest virtue of a person acts like water,” Ban Ki-moon said.
His assessment closely aligns with the initiative Kazakhstan is promoting internationally.
At the SCO Plus summit on September 1, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev once again identified water security as one of the priorities on the global agenda. In his remarks, the President linked access to water directly to food and energy security, social stability and economic development.
Tokayev has also raised the issue at an institutional level. Dozens of bodies within the UN system deal with water-related matters, yet there is no single universal intergovernmental organization with a comprehensive mandate. Kazakhstan’s proposed International Water Organization is intended to address that gap.
Kazakhstan proposes a unified international mechanism
The proposed International Water Organization is not intended to duplicate the work of existing institutions.
According to Kazakhstan’s position, the new body could serve as a platform for coordinating the actions of states, maintaining permanent intergovernmental dialogue, helping mobilize resources and developing coordinated solutions to water-related challenges.
Kazakhstan has already presented the concept to international partners and continues to promote the initiative through diplomatic channels.
The issue has direct practical significance for Kazakhstan. The country’s water resources are closely tied to transboundary rivers. As a result, international rules, data exchange and interstate coordination mechanisms matter not only for foreign policy, but also for domestic water management.
Alongside the global proposal, Kazakhstan is also advocating for a regional mechanism. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed establishing an SCO Water Problems Analysis Center, which is intended to complement a future international organization operating under the UN framework.
Ban Ki-moon’s support is not a UN decision, but it carries political weight
There is an important distinction.
Ban Ki-moon’s statement should not be interpreted as an official endorsement of Kazakhstan’s proposal by the United Nations.
He served as UN Secretary-General from 2007 to 2016 and is now speaking in his personal capacity. Nevertheless, support from a former head of the organization who understands its internal system gives the initiative additional political weight.
Ban Ki-moon’s professional relationship with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also dates back well before the current water initiative.
“President Tokayev and I worked closely together when we were both foreign ministers. I was the foreign minister of Korea, and he was the foreign minister of Kazakhstan. Later, our paths crossed again at the UN, when I appointed him Director-General of the organization’s office in Geneva, the second largest after the headquarters in New York.”
Ban Ki-moon also praised Tokayev’s work within the UN system.
“He handled this task brilliantly. I think his successful experience at the UN contributed greatly to his subsequent election as President of Kazakhstan,” he said.
This makes Ban Ki-moon’s latest remarks more than a routine diplomatic compliment: the proposal is being assessed by a former UN chief with first-hand knowledge of the system in which Kazakhstan wants to establish a new international mechanism.
Kazakhstan is taking its water initiative beyond the region
The proposal to create an International Water Organization is not appearing on the international agenda for the first time.
Kazakhstan has previously presented the concept at UNESCO, discussed it in Geneva and promoted it during bilateral meetings with foreign partners.
In August, the initiative was discussed by Kazakhstan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Yerzhan Kazykhan, and Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva Tatiana Valovaya. Kazakhstan emphasized the possibility of using Geneva’s expert infrastructure for further discussions on global water governance.
The Kazakh proposal was later presented in Japan, while international water governance has also been raised at other international platforms.
Ban Ki-moon’s public and personal endorsement now adds another layer of political support to that diplomatic effort.
“Please convey my full support to him”
Ban Ki-moon concluded his remarks on water with a direct endorsement of the Kazakh President’s proposal.
“From both philosophical and practical points of view, President Tokayev’s idea is extremely important, and I sincerely hope that he will be able to implement this project. Please convey my full support to him,” Ban Ki-moon said.
The next stage for Kazakhstan’s initiative will depend less on individual statements of support and more on how much backing the proposal can secure among governments and within the UN system itself.
We previously reported on how Tokayev’s proposal to create an International Water Organization reached the UN level and why Geneva could become one of the key international venues for further discussion of the initiative.
