THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION FOR WATER COORDINATION IN CENTRAL ASIA
CELEBRATES ITS 15th ANNIVERSARY
Leaders of water authorities in the five independent Central Asian states adopted in October 1991 a statement, which paved the way for signing in February 1992 an Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Joint Management of the Use and Protection of Interstate Water Resources between the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. According to this Agreement, Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) was established.
ICWC has become a regional agency of Central Asian states for joint resolution of issues related to management, use and protection of interstate water resources in the Aral Sea basin and implementation of jointly planned programs based on principles of collective leadership and mutual respect for interests of the parties.
The establishment of ICWC and its activities are continually in the attention field of Presidents of Central Asia states. By their agreements signed on 23 March 1993 and 9 April 1999, the Heads of State recognized the particular role of ICWC under the aegis of IFAS that demonstrated a deep insight of leaders of Central Asian states into the role of joint management in the use and protection of water resources, in the development of all the countries and the region as a whole, as well as their concern for ensuring water supply and adequate environmental conditions for their peoples in a sustainable manner.
ICWC and its executive bodies carry out a set of measures and procedures that provide equitable water allocation along the full length of interstate water sources taking into account the requirements of natural systems and their development in future.
Their efforts during 15 years have contributed to conflict-free allocation of shared water resources, efficiency of all channels, structures, tracts, and resolution of all issues related to operative use of water resources in the five countries, water supply to the Aral Sea and Priaralie.
The fundamental principles of integrated management are gradually being introduced into management of interstate water resources, more broadly involving all stakeholders.
In view of water scarcity in the region, water conservation is of no less importance in the activities of the Commission.
As a result of agreed water conservation policy adopted by ICWC, reduction in total water withdrawal has become a target tendency.
On the instruction of ICWC, projects are prepared and actions are initiated for improvement of the current international agreements on management of interstate water resources and flow regulation by interstate reservoirs and waterworks with account of generally recognized principles of the international water law.
Efforts are made for formation and operation of common regional, basin-wide and national information systems on water and land resources use, for coordination of actions aimed at dissemination and exchange of information on water resources and use by founder states and interested organizations.
With the support of the UNESCAP Program, activities for strategic planning and sustainable management of development of water resources in Central Asia have been carried out.
Actions are coordinated with United Control Center “Energy” and national ministries and departments – electric energy producers.
A considerable attention is given to the issue of automation introduction into water-management systems.
A permanent work on improvement of activities of ICWC and its executive bodies is done.
ICWC has approved an initiative of the Asian Development Bank to support and further develop water cooperation in the Aral Sea basin through joint work of national and regional organizations under the ADB RETA 6163 “Improved Management of Shared Water Resources in Central Asia”. A work program has been approved. To fulfill set tasks, national inter-agency working groups consisting of representatives from water, energy, environmental, foreign-policy agencies in Central Asian countries and a regional working group have been established.
Actively collaborating with ICWC, the international donor community permanently provided and provides a significant assistance in implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM), promotion of training activity, water conservation, more precise forecasts and improved flow metering, automation of hydro structures operation, creation of an information system and so on. It is especially necessary to note the activities of such international organizations as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Asian Development Bank, World Bank, European Union, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Norwegian and Finnish Governments, Department for International Development of Great Britain (DFID), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UNDP, Japan Water Forum, FAO, network of Global Water Partnership (GWP) and others.
The cooperation of ICWC with the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), which has successfully been developing for 15 years, is a great help in assimilation of state-of-the-art world experience in water management, drainage, irrigation and information exchange.
Since 1996, ICWC is a member of the following international organizations:
- World water Council (WWC);
- International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO);
- Global Water Partnership (GWP);
- International Water Resources Association (IWRA);
- Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF).
- Technology for Water Resources (TECHWARE);
- Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC);
A close cooperation on the improvement of water resources management, environmental aspects and other important issues in the region has been established with the Embassies of Canada, Great Britain, Holland, Israel, India, Indonesia, China, USA, France, Japan, international organizations accredited in the region.
The participation of ICWC delegations in the activities of the 3rd World Water Forum in Japan and 4th World Water Forum in Mexico was organized. The preparatory activities for the 5th World water Forum to be held in Turkey in March 2009 have been started.
For the past 15 years, 46 ICWC meetings have been held, at which decisions have been made on the current and future problems of water management and use in the Aral Sea basin.
From 24 to 27 April 2007 in health center “Altyn Kargali” (Almaty), the 47th ICWC meeting dedicated to its jubilee will take place.
Central Asian International Scientific-Practical Conference is confined to the 47th ICWC meeting. The aim of the conference is to present the results of a number of water projects being implemented in the countries of the region, and exchange opinions on most critical aspects of water resources management.
The conference is organized as a set of special sessions:
- Interstate cooperation and the role of ICWC in solving regional problems
- Integrated water resources management - a way to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Central Asia
- Global Water Partnership for Central Asia and Caucasus: towards the 16th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (2008) on the implementation of IWRM plans
- Environmental problems in central Asia: analysis and outlook
- Central Asia Regional Water Information Base
- Integrated water resources management in Kazakhstan: congress of representatives from Basin Boards of Kazakhstan
- Towards the 1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit
Measures on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of ICWC with participation of key local and foreign organizations and specialists will enable to analyze the current status of affairs and problems in water sector of Central Asian countries and agree joint efforts to implement specific actions including ASBP-2 for the near and distant future.
In the next numbers we will give a detailed report on jubilee measures.
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