No. 8 (132) April 2007

THE 47th REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION FOR WATER COORDINATION
IN CENTRAL ASIA

The 47th regular ICWC meeting took place on 25 April 2007 in Almaty under the chairmanship of A.D. Ryabtsev, Chairman of the Committee for Water Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan.

The following items were on the meeting agenda:

1. Confirming water withdrawal limits for the vegetation period 2007 and agreeing predicted operation mode for reservoir cascades in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins
2. About the implementation of IWRM principles in Central Asia region
3. Considering the draft Statute on ICWC and draft Regulation on Rotation of ICWC Bodies
4. Considering the draft Agreement on the Use of Water and Energy Resources in the Syrdarya River Basin
5. About venue and agenda of the 48th regular ICWC meeting.

ICWC members confirmed water withdrawal limits for the vegetation period 2007 and agreed on predicted operation mode for reservoir cascades in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins. A decision was made on possible correction of water withdrawal limits for the vegetation period by 15% induced by the present water situation in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins. In case of the worsening of the situation, this issue will be considered at an extraordinary meeting. In view of the expected water shortage in the vegetation period 2007, BWO “Syrdarya” and BWO “Amudarya”, were instructed to strictly control water withdrawal limits and not to infringe fixed water withdrawal amounts. BWO “Syrdarya” and SIC ICWC were instructed to study forecast calculations, alternative operation modes for Toktogul reservoir in the vegetation period 2008.

The participants of the meeting took into account the information of SIC ICWC about activities for implementation of IWRM principles in Central Asia. It was decided to ask the Asian Development Bank to consider and accept the prepared project “IWRM in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river lowlands” for financing based on the feasibility study earlier done with the support of US State Department. ICWC members together with SIC ICWC shall provide support for preparatory work of UNDP country offices on justification and development of National IWRM Plans for the Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. A search of international donor organizations for funding these projects and initiating a similar project in Turkmenistan has been started.

The participants took into account the draft Statute on ICWC (7th edition) prepared by ICWC Secretariat and SIC ICWC, combined with the draft Regulation on Rotation of ICWC Bodies. ICWC members shall send their remarks before 5 May to the address of ICWC Secretariat and SIC ICWC on items of the proposed draft Statute on ICWC. ICWC Secretariat and SIC ICWC were instructed to organize before 15 May a meeting of experts on the draft Statute on ICWC in conjunction with development of a draft Agreement on Organizational Improvement of ICWC Executive Bodies.

ICWC members mainly agreed the new draft Agreement on the Use of Water and Energy Resources in the Syrdarya River Basin. The draft shall be signed on a routine basis during a month.

The 48th regular ICWC meeting is planned to be held in the Republic of Tajikistan in September 2007.

The agenda of the 48th ICWC meeting was approved:

1. About the vegetation period 2007 and confirmation of water withdrawal limits for non-vegetation period in the Amudarya and Syrdarya river basins
2. About the results and prospects of the completion of activities under the ADB RETA 6163
3. About the development of principles of activities under the Central Asia Regional Water Information Base (CAREWIB) Project in the interests of national information systems.
4. About Statute on ICWC
5. About agenda and venue of the 49th regular ICWC meeting.

SESSION “INTERSTATE COOPERATION AND THE ROLE OF ICWC IN SOLVING REGIONAL PROBLEMS”

A work meeting of thematic subgroups under the ADB RETA 6163 “Improved Management of Shared Water Resources in Central Asia” was held on 25 April 2007 in Almaty within the framework of session “Interstate Cooperation and the Role of ICWC in Solving Regional Problems”. At the meeting, issues concerning the development of rules for fulfillment of procedural obligations and recommendations for improvement of rules for regulation and management of water and energy resources in the Syrdarya river basin, and revision of the draft Agreement on Strengthening the Organizational Framework for Management, Protection and Rational Use of Water Resources in Transboundary Water Bodies were discussed.

Members of thematic subgroups and leader of the newly elected Kyrgyz NWG E.Zh. Zhusumatov took part in the meeting. Because the Tajik NWG had not assigned its official representatives to five thematic subgroups provided with authority to participate in making draft decisions on all issues worked out by thematic subgroups, ICWC member for Tajikistan M.Y. Khamidov authorized NWG member I.S. Normatov to represent the interests of Tajikistan at this meeting.

The participants of the meeting decided

1. The work plan of thematic subgroup on procedural obligations and making recommendations concerning the rules for regulation on the Syrdarya river shall be approved.
2. Members of thematic subgroup shall submit proposals, agreed with NWG members, according to the list of issues made during the discussion.
3. Remarks and suggestions to version No.1/2007 of the draft Agreement on Strengthening the Organizational Framework for Management, Protection and Rational Use of Water Resources in Transboundary Water Bodies (Interstate Sources) in the Aral Sea Basin as well as to the draft Statute on ICWC (7th edition) shall be submitted before 10 May 2007.
4. Funds allocated for NWGs according to the approved Work Program for 2007 shall be distributed among NWGs in equal shares.

On 26 April 2007 in Almaty, a work meeting of the thematic subgroup on determination of channel losses in the Amudarya midstream and downstream was held within the framework of the ADB RETA 6163 “Improved Management of Shared Water Resources in Central Asia”. All the members of the thematic subgroup took part in the meeting.

Summary plan and work plan of the thematic subgroup prepared by BWO “Amudarya” upon study of materials presented by subgroup members were submitted.

The participants decided:

1. to approve the summary plan and work plan of the thematic subgroup.
2. to note that due to the lack of funds for field studies to determine channel losses at the Amudarya river reaches, available materials of the group for several years should be used as a basis in the work.
3. to accept suggestions of the Turkmen party that all members of the subgroup participate in all planned activities, without separation.
4. to note that additional funds are necessary for carrying out GIS work on satellite image processing.
5. to assign work performance time May-July 2007.