Deputy Prime Minister Bakyt Torobaev addressed the need for $1.2 billion in investments to tackle the drinking water problem in 960 settlements during the Rome Water Dialogue 2025 at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome.

Torobaev highlighted that approximately 10 million people in Central Asia lack access to clean drinking water, emphasizing that infrastructure in the region is deteriorated by up to 80%, leading to water losses as high as 55%. The minister stressed the urgency of the situation, estimating the substantial investment required to address the issue in Kyrgyzstan.