The politics of water governance in Central Asia: institutionalizing river basin management

After their independence in the early 1990s, Central Asian countries have been reorganizing water governance according to the river basin principle. We attempt to understand the politics of institutionalizing river basin management by asking who sets the agenda, who drives the policy and who participates, looking specifically at the establishment of basin organizations in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Based on the analysis of academic literature, policy reports and interviews with experts, we show that the interests and activities of national and international actors are closely interwoven. The exposure to global discourses and good water governance norms promoted by international donors has fostered legal changes in all countries of the region, but were implemented to various degrees. Stakeholder participation through basin councils is still only partially implemented and weakened by the political culture of the countries. Institutionalization of river basin management can work though when donor support and national ownership come together.