The Legal Status of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers under International Law within the Context of Central Asia’s Unresolved Water-Sharing Dispute
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https://doi.org/10.59022/ujldp.579Keywords:
Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Transboundary Water Law, Central Asia, Water Sharing, International Law, ICWC, Riparian StatesAbstract
This research examines the legal status of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, the principal transboundary watercourses of Central Asia, and the ongoing disputes among five riparian states regarding their equitable allocation. Drawing on international water law, treaty analysis, and institutional review, the study identifies critical gaps in existing governance frameworks and evaluates why decades of negotiations have failed to produce a binding, comprehensive agreement. The findings reveal that the post-Soviet institutional architecture, while providing a procedural forum, lacks enforcement capacity and substantive legal clarity. The study concludes that effective water governance in Central Asia requires harmonization with international law, strengthened dispute resolution mechanisms, and a legally binding multilateral treaty that balances upstream development interests with downstream ecological and humanitarian needs.
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