In 2008 the German Federal Foreign Office established the Central Asia Water Initiative (the Berlin Process). This Initiative, a contribution of the Federal Republic of Germany to the EU Strategy for a New Partnership with Central Asia, aims to offer Central Asian countries support for their regional cooperation on water management.

After four successful years, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle invited government representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the “Blue Diplomacy in Central Asia” conference in Berlin to take stock of the activities undertaken during Phase I of the Berlin Process and outline the activities planned for Phase II.

The Central Asian partner countries were represented by high-level delegations from the Foreign and Water/Agriculture Ministries on deputy minister level. Afghanistan participated in the conference as an observer. Key international actors on water and energy issues in the Aral Sea basin (EU, UNECE, USAID, SDC, the World Bank, OSCE and others) were also represented.

The most important outcome of the conference was the adoption of the Berlin Declaration. It sends a strong message: the political will exists to continue cooperating on transboundary water management in the region.