No. 8 November 2002

OPENING OF «INTERNATION FRESH WATER YEAR»

On November 1, 2002 in Dushanbe meeting organized by Government of Tajikistan jointly with UNESCO was held and it was devoted to official announcement of 2003rd year as International Fresh Water Year on proposal of President of Tajikistan Emomaly Rakhmonov. There representatives of all region countries and Russia were presented, and also for the first time representatives from Afghanistan participated. Deputy prime-minister of Tajikistan K.K. Koimdodov opened meeting and outlined situation on Aral Sea basin water resources use. Reporter especially emphasized international cooperation importance as well as ICWC activity. He underlined that organization of IFAS activity new stage under leadership of IFAS President, President of Tajikistan Mr. Emomaly Rakhmonov confirms that on forthcoming stage significant step will be made towards cooperation strengthening.

UNESCO Director General Mr. Mazuura described world situation with increasing deficit of water resources and underlined that Organization of United Nations positively accepted initiative of President E. Rakhmonov on announcing 2003rd year as International Fresh Water Year. Mr. Mazuura stated that he is very pleased to open on behalf of 23 UN organizations by present meeting set of measures devoted to this important event.

Meeting discussed results of world program “Assessment of world water resources”, which was created under WWAP programs by UNESCO representative Mr. Bkhanu Neupan. Regional reports were presented by SIC ICWC Director Prof. V.A. Dukhovny and leading scientist of Institute of Geography at Academy of Science of Kazakhstan Mr. Igor Seversky. Colleagues of Institute of Geography at RAS G. Golubev and V. Konovalov presented reports on state of glaciers. Also national reports were heard.

Report of representative from Afghanistan caused big interest< it described state of water use in the country. Practically from 144 gauging stations no one has regular observations in result of destroy. All hydrotechnical structures are in the poorest state, from available water resources in amount 75 km3, including 55 km3 of surface water, actually 23 km3 are used, including 20 km3 of surface water. Water supply system doesn’t function even in Kabul. Only 25% of city residents have access to drinking water.

Seminar participants expressed gratitude to initiative of President of Tajikistan, vice-prime of Tajikistan and UNESCO Department, who announce 2003rd year as International Fresh Water Year.

“We unanimously aware importance of 2003rd year as International Fresh Water Year. This year will allow to emphasize water problems in Aral Sea basin in whole and basin countries in particular. We believe that this year will appear start point of long-term relations establishing among basin countries as base for international cooperation formation.

We unanimously agreed that:

• it is necessary to lobby at appropriate level creation of formal mechanism and organizational structure to celebrate 2003rd year as International Fresh Water Year;
• it is necessary to inform public about water problems in global scale;
• it is necessary to initiate introduction of logotype for International Fresh Water Year on each bottle with fresh water produced in Tajikistan in 2003 as well as other countries of Central Asia” – seminar decision said.

Seminar recommendations:

1. We understand differences in information bases level. In some cases, for example in Afghanistan, we have to update immediately basic information of water resources management. There is big gape in collection, processing and storage of data to manage by water resources within the basin.
2. We also recognize necessity of standardizing data and assessing demand in this aspect. We assume creation of united hydrological information system.
3. We recognize glaciers and snow reserves as key factors in regional water resources assessment.
4. We recognize even importance both of surface and ground waters. Since most part of ground aquifers is transboundary, it is required to develop collective water management strategy.
5. We recognize that assessment should include conceptualization of new strategies for water allocation and use (first of all, for hydropower and irrigation). Such strategies should be based on principle of equality, mutual benefit with account for environment protection aspects.
6. We understand that there is demand for institutional reconstruction for better cooperation in region. Thus, regional studies should concentrate on increase of SABAS efficiency.
7. We recognize necessity of joint actions and count that assessment should include wider referendums of population as well as social-economic prospects. This assessment should be based on strategy “people first”.
8. We understand that for studies development in region big intellectual capacity should be involved.
9. We count that process of capacity building and training should become important element of initiative on assessment.
10. We consider that assessment will create functional basis of joint water management system within the Aral Sea basin.

SIXTH FRAMEWORK EUROPEAN UNION PROGRAM ON STUDIES, TECHNOLOGIES, AND DEVELOPMENT

Conference on opening of new EU scientific-introduction program for period 2002-2006 was held on November 11-13, 2002 in Brussels.

Conference organizers – European commission jointly with Government of Belgium. More 8000 people have been invited to the Conference. From Central Asia conference participants were: SIC ICWC Director Prof. V.A. Dukhovny, delegation from Kazakhstan of 4 people headed by President of AS S. Daukeyev, delegation from Tajikistan of 2 people. Unfortunately, there were no representatives from Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.

European Union worked out strategy directed on opening of European research space to the whole world, in result of that closer political and economical relations are assumed between EU countries and developing countries as well as significant acceleration of EU countries development. Level of investments in researches, technologies, and development increases from 1.9% to 3% by 2010.

Key fields of this strategy are as follows:

• orient European studies of priorities on the best scientists and create world demand center;
• give opportunity to European researchers and manufacturers to estimate significance of program and experimental firing ranges outside Europe for European researchers;
• develop scientific and technical activity, which is useful for EU implementing foreign policy and assistance in development;
• concentrate scientific and technical EU resources as well third world countries to solve world problems related to community, such as food and environmental security (greenhouse effect, desertification, biovariety, and natural resources), health and diseases related to security.

Strategy also assumes stabilization of scientific capacity of ISC countries and simultaneously involve it in joint decision-making process.

On the Conference beside program presentation by European Commission leaders, 79 different measures were organized for discussion of possible thematic works moved for competition on participation in different bidding, which are already have or would be announced till the end of the year.

Commission defined 8 priorities with following budget (mln. Euro):

• biotechnology and health - 2200
• information technologies - 3060
• aeronautics and space - 1075
• database - 1800
• food security - 685
• sustainable development, global climate changes, and ecosystems - 2120
• international relationships - 1320

Beside these priorities there are many separate programs (INTAS, INCO, Marie Curie, ISS, etc.) dedicated to those or other directions of science and technology development.

Particular feature of present program RTD-6 is in broad involvement of third world countries as partners. In particular, big attention is paid to ISC countries.

Big attention is also paid to development of information networks, databases, which will be directed on address thematic service of practical tasks and goals established for industrial, social, environmental, and other practical organizations.

Participation of politicians is necessary to define aspects and assess science effectiveness in its further development.

Youth and its involvement in active partnership is widely taken into consideration.

SEMINAR «ANALYSIS OF FIELD DATA ON WATER USE AT FARM LEVEL, FIELD CERTIFICATION, AND CROP WATER REQUIREMENT ASSESSMENT»

Inter-republican seminar “Analysis of field data on water use at farm level, field certification, and crop water requirement assessment” within framework of activity “Water-land use efficiency increase” under project “Integrated water management in Fergana Valley” was held on November 11-13, 2002 in Osh.

Representatives of SIC ICWC, IWMI, NGO, SANIIRI, oblast executors, engineers, and farmers of demonstration plots participated in this seminar.

SARIBAS LAKE WAS CREATED IN AMUDARYA DELTA

Saribas Lake was created near Muynak.

To mitigate environmental situation in Priaralie region small lakes are formed along Amudarya delta. Saribas Lake is one of them. It is located not far from Muynak. To create this lake the dam at distance 7.1 km and hydrostructure were constructed.

“Given project was implemented at the expense of IFAS Nukus Division”, - Chief Engineer of “Muynoksuvkurilishi” company Berdibek Esenov said.

Lake water are constantly maintained at one level. Water excess overflows to Zhiltirbas Lake located in Muynak Bay.

Source - UzA