MEETING OF INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ARAL SEA SAVING (IFAS) BOARD
IFAS Board meeting was held on August 23, 2002 in Dushanbe. Preparatory meeting
of IFAS Executive Committee will precede this meeting.
Meeting agenda included following questions:
- About realization of the programs and projects connected to the Aral Sea
problems solution at the expense of all financing sources.
- About IFAS means formation at the expense of payments of the state-founders,
country-donors, and international organizations.
- About the Aral Sea basin program priorities for period 2002-2010.
- About realization of meeting with the donors on the Aral Sea basin problems.
- About next meeting agenda of the Head of the states of Central Asia on
the Aral Sea problems.
- About IFAS Board work plan approval for 2002-2003.
- Miscellaneous.
ABOUT ICWC DELEGATION PARTICIPATION IN XVII ICID CONGRESS
ICWC Delegation staff: A.D. Ryabtsev, B.O. Eishmatov, A.A. Nazyrov, Yu. Khudaiberganov,
V.A. Dukhovny, P.D. Umarov by the invitation of Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA) have taken part in work of XVII ICID Congress and its Executive
Committee’s meetings, which were held on July 21-28, 2002 in Montreal, Canada.
The delegation members have taken part in meeting of Special working group on
the Aral Sea (ST-Aral), meeting "Water and Food of Central Asia - alternative
and opportunity", meetings of the IPTRID program, "Dialogue on Water
for Food", working group on drainage, meeting with the ICID President and
its office leadership, forum of young experts, and meeting "Farmers - their
expectations from ICID work".
On meeting of Special working group on the Aral Sea (working group chief Mr.
P. Lee, deputy - Prof. V.A. Dukhovny) it was noted that CAR representatives
are poorly presented in work of thematic ICID working groups. The new working
plan of actions of ST-Aral working group has been prepared, in which the amendments
made by ICWC members were included. Prof. Ch. Madramootoo was assigned as new
chief of ST-Aral working group.
Working group meeting on drainage under leadership of Dr. Schultz with participation
of Prof. V.A. Dukhovny and Dr. P.D. Umarov has discussed preparation of "
Guideline to drainage systems’ construction ", preparation for 9th Meeting
on development and operation of drainage, and also information drainage system
in the world. Scientific Committee on drainage has agreed with the offer of
Prof. V.A. Dukhovny to make the 9-th meeting basic accent (September 2003, Delft)
on drainage systems operation sustainability in present conditions, as basis
of comparative lands fertility and well-being of the populated territories and
to show – to what extent these aspects are solved in different regions of the
world. Seminar in Tashkent "Drainage in Central Asia" will precede
this meeting. After presentation of working group members – Mr. H. Denecke and
Mr. D. Pearce together with SIC ICWC, European Union has approved program of
realization of this seminar roughly in April, 2003.
It was noted that IPTRID network (International network of irrigation and drainage
researches) weakened its attention to dissemination of information among IPTRID
members, including in the Aral basin. IPTRID representatives have concentrated
attention on necessity of further involving the Aral Sea basin countries in
information system WCA-InfoNET, created within IPTRID frameworks. The main attention
in IPTRID program should be given to search of "sick" and "white"
spots in zonal and regional program of irrigation, drainage, and water management
and definition of those decisions from world baggage of knowledge and experience
in optimum conditions, which can help with their overcoming. It is clear that
IPTRID service itself is not able to decide these tasks - it should be "conductor"
and organizer of this network, using and involving forces of national committees,
ICID technical groups, and also richest FAO knowledge base and newly organized
IWMI program "Dialogue".
Special meeting "Sustainable Global Food Security" was held under
leadership of the Director of "Agrofood- Canada" Mr. R. Wetflower
with participation of three ICWC members. On this meeting the reports of the
World Bank, Asian Development Bank, InterAmerican Bank, African Bank and statement
of Prof. V.A. Dukhovny were heard. The participants of meeting have supported
necessity of governmental support maintenance for agriculture, especially nowadays
- in conditions of fall in prices for agricultural products; opportunity of
donors’ participation in the real help to less developed countries - in development
of own food provision more, than refusal from the help in delivery and supply
by food from outside. Dr. M. Bos (the Netherlands) has offered to initiate work
on verification, to what extent "Vision 21", prepared by CAR countries
for the II Forum in Hague, was reflected in activity of the countries of region.
Session meeting "Water and Food of Central Asia - alternative and opportunity"
was held on July 22, 2002 under presidency of the First CIDA Vice-president
P. Daniel. The session has heard the reports of all members of ICWC delegations,
and also Prof. Ch. Madramootoo. The positive value and role of the Canadian
experts who are carrying out together with ICWC scientific development of program
on hydro-structures automation on transboundary waters, and also developing
training activity of high and middle level experts of the countries of Central
Asia was noted. CIDA has ratified one more training program "Adjustment
of irrigation to climate change" on example of the Kazakh and Uzbek parts
of Hunger Steppe.
In conclusion P. Daniel has informed meeting participants that CIDA is now revising
plans form ext 10-15 years and assistance priorities. In connection with joining
of majority of the East Europe countries NATO and European Union, Canada refuses
direct help to them, and also Balkan countries. The focus of interests will
direct on strengthening of the technical and financial assistance to the countries
of Central Asia and Transcaucasia, especially regional cooperation in Central
Asia. Thus CIDA perfectly understands that irrigated agriculture displays the
most sensitive problems of region: water, land, and social progress. It is supposed
that the government of Canada will make decision on additional financing of
region up to the end of 2002. In the same time, the donors community expects
from the countries of Central Asia of the greater demonstration of movement
towards strengthening of organizational structure, legal basis (signing of the
agreements) and constructive measures on transition to IWRM. The government
of Canada is sure that the region has entire opportunity to ensure itself with
participation of the international cooperation not only survival, but also transition
to enough high level of life appropriate to historical, cultural and educational
traditions of peoples of Central Asia.
On ICID Executive Committee meeting ICID role as window to technical irrigation
and drainage world for many developing countries was noted. Due to this general
number of ICID members has been 98 countries, from them: 24 - Africa, 16 - America,
30 - Asia, 28 - Europe. From this quantity 68 active members, including 11 -
in Africa, 8 - in America, 24 in Asia, 25 - in Europe are counted. For expired
three years 9 countries have been excluded from ICID members composition for
non-participation and non-payment, 15 countries have been warned.
Executive Committee has reported about sufficient amplifications in this period
of activity, strengthening of cooperation with various international organizations,
development of new kinds of activity, in particular "Dialogue - Water,
Food, and Ecology ", the youth forum of the young professionals was organized.
The plan of ICID measures for future was planned.
The elections of the president were held Dato Keizrul bin Abdullah was elected,
Malaysia. As vice-presidents following persons were elected: Guey Kay Lingen
- China, I.K. Iusi – Nigeria and Andre Masi - Switzerland.
ABOUT PREPARATION TO 3RD WORLD WATER FORUM
At the end of July Secretariat of 3-rd World Water Forum issued bulletin,
in which the data on preparation to forum were given. In particular, it said
that now in Virtual water forum 129 subjects are being opened for discussion,
in which 3400 men are taking part.
In a conference "Central Asia - on way to integrated partnership",
initiated and carried out SIC ICWC, 20 partners, which have sent 36 messages,
are being involved now.
The discussion is conducted on 6 subjects:
- Greetings (7 messages, opened on 28.02.2002);
- ICWC 10-years anniversary measures (Almaty, February 20-24, 2002) (3 messages,
opened on 15.03.2002);
- Project "Integrated Water Resources Management of Fergana Valley"
(4 messages, opened on 03.04.2002);
- ICWC Training Center Activity (4 messages, opened on 22.04.2002);
- Interstate Coordination Water Commission (ICWC) activity (17 messages,
opened on 14.06.2002);
- Dialogue on water and climate: Aral Sea basin case study (1 message, opened
on 22.07.2002).
SIC ICWC also has been registered as envoy of "Voice of Water" in
WWF-3 Secretariat. There are 56 messages now in our assets.
There is little more than 200 days to 3-rd World Water Forum start. If you concern
about destiny of region, future of water resources, we invite you to take part
in our conference on web-site WWF-3 on address:
www.worldwaterforum.org/for/en/fshow.796
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