This talk is based on my recent book on the Aral Sea Basin, and offers a multidisciplinary overview of water resource issues and management in the Basin, covering both the Amu Darya and Syr Darya River basins. The talk includes a focus on the future of water sector development in the Basin, including a review of local and international actors, as well as an analysis of the current status and progress towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals pursued by riparian Basin countries. The book will be essential reading for readers interested in water basin management, environmental policy in Central Asia, and water resource management in general, as well as those working in related state agencies and NGOs.