Astana, November 6. A situation centre where data on water resources is collected and analysed has opened in Astana, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said.
The centre was created on the basis of the Water Resources Information and Analytical Centre with the support of the German Agency for International Cooperation, GIZ. At the opening were Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Zhandos Salimov, Swiss Ambassador to Kazakhstan Christine Honegger, head of GIZ regional projects Carolin Milow and the centre’s management board chairman Kairatgali Khairulla. Participants were shown the equipment, including a video wall of eight screens, LifeNews relays.
The centre’s data rests on the National Water Resources Information System, which was created on grant funds by order of the Head of State. The system has 15 modules, is linked to 12 departmental information systems, and holds data on more than 23,000 water bodies; the whole process from an application for water use to payment is automated. Salimov said: “Today it is important not only to use water carefully but also to have accurate information about its availability, condition and use”. Earlier the ministry planned to put the system into commercial operation in the second half of 2026, Inbusiness.kz wrote.
What it means: The ministry now has a hall where data on the country’s water is visible: the system is already in commercial operation, and the centre is needed to assess the situation quickly and respond. How much the equipment cost and what decisions the centre will prepare is not stated in the announcement.
Who benefits: By the deputy minister’s words, the management of water resources: decisions rest on accurate data. Germany and Switzerland took part in equipping the centre through GIZ.
Background: A situation centre is a room with large screens into which data from different sources flows so that managers see the whole picture and decide quickly. GIZ is the German international cooperation agency that helps partner countries with governance and development. A water body is a river, lake, reservoir, canal or other place where water is found; information on such objects is entered in the national system.
