No. 9 November 2002

MEETING OF GLOBAL WATER PARTNERSHIP TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

Ordinary meeting of Global Water Partnership Technical Committee (TC GWP) was held on November 15-19, 2002 ã. in Almaty.

On working meeting of chairmen of regional technical committees previous for TC GWP meeting following issues were discussed:

• Working interrelations of regions with Secretariat in Stockholm;
• Problems of providing regional partnership activity with financial means (experience exchange on work with donors);
• Preparation to third World Water Forum (strategic GWP role on forum in Japan).

During two day work of TC GWP following issues were considered:

1. Report about participation in World summit on sustainable development in Johannesburg (September 2002). General information and report about measures under GWP umbrella was presented.
2. GWP contribution to report on world water development. This report describes program of actions on strengthening of global water movement on concrete examples and decisions, and in completed version it should be presented in Japan in March 2003 on the 3rd WWF.
3. Report of regional TC GWP about follow-up activity in regions after meeting in Accra, Ghana (June 2002).
4. Report of special expert group on preparation of report “Goals of millennium development”. Expert group has proposed report format. Every state-UN member by 2004 year should submit national report on this thematic.
5. Preparation of leaflet on effective water management system. Final version of conceptual document was presented. In this report advantages of integrated approach to water management were presented in original and simple way as well as proper ways of management efficiency increase were indicated.
6. Status on dialogues under GWP umbrella:

• Dialogue “Water, Food, and Environment” (coordinated by IWMI, Sri-Lanka). Here two aspects of the problem are interesting – a) world food market development and access of developing countries to it and b) increasing water deficit – conflict of community and nature interests.
• Dialogue “Water and Climate Change” was initiated by Bonn Conference in December 2001. It is coordinated by International Steering Committee on climate change. Goal is to improve understanding of climate variability processes and possible effects of these changes, estimate what role IWRM plays in reducing such effects.
• Dialogue “Water Infrastructure Financing”. The World faces the problem of critical necessity to increase investments in water sector development, as it is becoming unstable. On GWP and World Water Council initiative international VIP panel was formed, who has proposed set of measures and ways of attracting new investments in water sector. These proposals are subject of dialogue – how can they be realized.

7. Works within framework of ToolBox development – set of tools for implementing principles of integrated water management. Proposals on enhancement of tools were considered. Package is accompanied with case studies in different regions and countries implemented under GWP aegis with analysis of experienced lessons (both positive and negative). In this context necessity of further presentation of similar case studies from regions not considered yet was discussed. In particular, proposal to submit Case study for Central Asia and Caucasus was made.

On joint meeting of TC GWP and Regional Technical Advisory Committee (RTAC) of Central Asia and Caucasus following issues were discussed:

1. GWP and preparation for WWF-3 (IWRM ToolBox; Dialogue on water management; IWRM in basin context);
2. GWP and region of Central Asia and Caucasus (review of IWRM regional problems; RTAC program of works);
3. Water conservation and productivity increase in IWRM context as main direction for arid regions existence (case studies of problem solution on Caucasus and in Central Asia);
4. Further GWP actions for this region.

Basic meeting results:

1. CA&C RTAC received official congratulation from TC GWP and representatives of other world regions – GWP members regarding our region joining united GWP family. It was said that our region has enormous capacity and will bring big contribution in strengthening and development of global water partnership.
2. On the meeting decision has been taken about official name of Central Asia and Caucasus region – CACENA. This abbreviation should be used in all official GWP documents.
3. CA&C RTAC members should prepare proposals on financial investing in water sector at global and regional level to support measures directed on water conservation and water productivity increase. It is necessary to ground tendency of financial investments increase in following kinds of activity: a) support of water users initiatives in water conservation issues; b) introduction of chargeable services – as motivation of the state and water users for careful effective water use; c) investments in water supply system reconstruction aimed to reduce unproductive water losses; d) investments in new technologies directed on water conservation as well as water productivity increase.

On November 19 on the meeting of RTAC and GWP Secretariat of CA&C results of joint meeting with GWP Technical Committee were summarized as well as further RTAC actions were coordinated:

1. RTAC members coordinated work plan with insignificant amendments. V.I. Sokolov was charged to prepare work plan and budget on its base for submission for approval of GWP Steering Committee, which meeting will be held on December 12-13, 2002 in Islamabad, Pakistan.
2. GWP Secretariat promises financial support of RTAC-CACENA activity in 2003. This issue will be discussed on GWP Steering Committee meeting in Islamabad. However all RTAC members should fulfill regular work on searching new financial sources for GWP activity development in region. It is necessary to organize certain work with developed countries embassies in region states as well as with international donors (RTAC members will have received proposals on special seminar organized by GWP Secretariat on November 14-18, 2003 in Stockholm till the end of January 2003).
3. After budget approval Secretariat will submit by the next RTAC meeting financial strategy of work program realization.
4. RTAC members discussed draft Provision about RTAC, and it was decided to bring certain amendments. It was also decided to approve Provision on the next RTAC meeting (February 2003) after revision.
5. Agreed that it is necessary to prepare regional report for WWF-3 as well as report for Kiev Conference of ministers (Water, Environment and Security).
6. Basing on TC GWP information that by 2004 every country should submit in UN national report “Goals of Millenium Development” to recommend RTAC members to find out which organization in each country of region is responsible for this document preparation and find opportunity to contribute in it in water and environmental aspects.

TRAINING SEMINAR «WATER ACCOUNT ON CANALS, WUA, AND PRIVATE FARMS»

Goal of seminar that was held on November 28-29 in Osh is to train oblast executors and WUA hydrometers of Fergana Valley to technical proper production of water account on canals, water inlets, and their preparation for equipping by recommended water metering devices. On this seminar big attention was paid to control of gauging stations construction quality, which meet requirements of regulating documents and their preparation for testing and certification.

Following participants presented their reports under program:

R.R. Masumov – “Water discharge measurement on secondary canals (with discharge up to 1 m3/s) and their anabranches with the help of standard water metering devices”, “Information message about state of set of metering devices”.

U.R. Rasulov – “Water discharge measurement on main canals and collector-drainage network”.

V.N. Sharov – “Preparation of gauging stations for testing and certification”.

A.S. Satybaldiyev – “Present water account state in Pakistan, land property forms, water distribution among farms ”

Having heard and discussed reports, seminar participants noted actuality and importance of issues considered on seminar and took following decisions:

Before ministries will allocate finances for 2003 for repair-restoration works, since December 2, 2002 by own forces oblast and rayon executors (hydrometrists) should start preparatory works (channel cleaning up and leveling) on water inlets to farms, in site of design gauging stations of pilot WUA.

On South-Fergana, Aravan-Akbura, and Gulaykandoz main canals hydrometrists should start since December 2, 2002 preparatory works on water metering gauges’ replacement, fulfill cleaning works in level metering wells, niches, and metering plots (sites, gauging stations) of canals. To prepare head gauging stations on these canals for installation of water meter “Press-M” (production of regional metrological center “Vodavtomatika and metrology”, Bishkek).

Up to March 25, 2003 oblast and rayon executors should conduct inventory on full completeness of technical documentation of available gauging stations, which serve pilot objects (canals, WUA, farm plots) and relevance of their characteristics to technical documentation.

By March 1, 2003 oblast, rayon executors and private farms should prepare gauging stations available on pilot objects of project “IWRM-Fergana” for certification and planed testing.

Regarding insufficient experience in creation of new gauging stations, their preparation for certification and testing, technicians and supervisors of pilot objects count necessary methodical and practical assistance in period from March 15, 2002 to March 15, 2003 in places on part of expert-advisors on hydrometry R. Masumov, U. Rasulov, and CMC ICWC representatives.

By December 10, 2002 oblast and regional executors should prepare requests for Ministries for allocation of finances to repair and test current meters, and gauging stations’ certification (available and planned).

On December 25, 2002, January 25, February 25, and March 25, 200 oblast executors should report to managers of activity ¹1, ¹2 è ¹7 about fulfillment of works.

Address copies of given seminar protocol to national executors to introduce and give practical assistance on realizing plan of pilot objects equipping by water metering devices, and their certification. In connection with necessity of certification and check of newly equipped gauging stations on pilot objects “IWRM-Fergana” to ask CMC ICWC to include financing of training and preparation of checkers for project from CMC branches in plan 2003.

By February 1, 2003 to conduct in pilot WUA in-situ seminars on farmers introduction and training on water account background.

Ask leadership of project “IWRM-Fergana” to state question of providing checkers of pilot objects with water metering devices, certification and checking of gauging stations for CMC ICWC leadership.