Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, met with Spanish Ambassador to Kazakhstan Jorge Urbiola López de Montenegro, and representatives of Xcalibur Smart Mapping. The parties discussed cooperation in groundwater exploration, as reported by QazMonitor, citing the Ministry’s press service.
Technology: Xcalibur Smart Mapping creates detailed maps of minerals and other strategic resources, including water. This data can be used to optimize the costs of underground water deposit exploration. According to the Spanish company, their technology is widely used in Australia, Canada, the United States, and Europe.
Why it’s important: Minister Nurzhigitov stated, "We aim to systematically increase the share of renewable groundwater use in the economy and drinking water supply, so Spain's experience in water exploration can be really useful. Water is a strategic resource, so we will consider all possible areas of bilateral cooperation."
Meeting outcome: The company expressed readiness to help attract grants and funding for joint projects.
Context: On September 1, 2023, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the formation of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, noting that Kazakhstan urgently needs to adopt water-saving technologies. In January 2024, the government allocated ₸110 billion (nearly $245 million) for the development of the water resources system in Kazakhstan. Earlier, Minister Nurzhigitov announced that the country needs approximately ₸2 trillion to repair the reservoirs and implement water-saving technologies.
