No. 9 (158) December 2008

THE 52nd ICWC MEETING

The 52 nd regular meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia (ICWC) chaired by A.O.Yazmuradov, Minister of Water Resources of Turkmenistan, was held on 5 December, 2008, in Ashgabad, Turkmenistan.

The following items were discussed in the agenda:

1. Regarding results of vegetation period 2008 (responsible: BWO “Amudarya” and BWO “Syrdarya” are responsible for implementation).
2. Regarding fulfillment of water withdrawal limits and of the operation modes of the reservoirs cascade in the Amudarya and Syrdarya basins during the non-vegetation period 2008-2009.
3. Regarding organization of regional training network for specialists at high and middle levels of water management, energy and environmental agencies of Central Asian countries on the basis of the ICWC Training Center and its branches (SIC ICWC and TC ICWC are responsible for implementation).
4. Revision of draft agreement “About water and energy use in the Syrdarya River Basin”.
5. Regarding agenda and venue of the next 53d ICWC meeting.

Additional items:

1. Regarding project “Water productivity improvement of the field level” (initiated by SIC ICWC).
2. Regarding approval of candidatures for governors of the ICWC Executive Bodies: BWO “Amudarya” and ICWC Secretariat.

The ICWC members underlined the followings:

• take into consideration information presented by BWO “Amudarya” and BWO “Syrdarya” about results of realization of the operation modes of the reservoirs cascade and of water withdrawals by the states during the vegetation period 2008.
• take into consideration information presented by BWO “Amudarya” and BWO “Syrdarya” about realization of water withdrawal limits and of operation modes of the reservoirs cascade in the Amudarya and Syrdarya basins for the period from the beginning of non-vegetation period up to now.
• draw special attention to reliability of data collected from gauging stations at Naryn River and Syrdarya River.
• support the proposal by SIC ICWC and BWO “Syrdarya” about equipping the hydrological stations Uchkurgan, Akdjar and Kyzylkishlak at the expense of Swiss donors.

The participants have decided to offer to the European Union to support the project «Development of Central Asian training network on the integrated water resources management". The ICWC will examine and assert programs of seminars, their budgets and venues.

It is planned to consider the draft agreement “About water and energy use in the Syrdarya River Basin” at the expected meeting of authorities of water management and energy agencies with invitation of representatives of regional and national work groups on development of draft agreement mentioned above, on December 2008.

The ICWC members approved the presented project “Water productivity improvement of the field level” (Phase II), which will be implemented at the sites of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Khudaibergenov Yuldash Khudaibergenovich was released from responsibility of the head of BWO "Amudarya" on the basis of his application. Kdyrniyazov Burkitbay Tajiniyazovich was appointed the head of BWO "Amudarya".

Negmatov Gayrat Abdusattarovich was released from responsibility of the ICWC principal clerk on the basis of his application. Mukhitdinov Khayrullo Ergashevich was appointed the ICWC principal clerk.

The next ICWC meeting will be held in Tajikistan on April 2009.

THE SEMINAR "IWRM FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - ACTION TODAY FOR THE FUTURE"

The training for trainers on the subject of "IWRM for adaptation to climate change - action today towards the future " was organized by the Cap-Net and UNDP at the Institute of Hydrology (NAHRIM) on 3-7 November, 2008, in Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia. The representatives of Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and of India participated in the training seminar. The WMO representatives gave lectures. Umarov P. (SIC ICWC), Stulina G. (Uzbekistan), Nurmukhamedova (Turkmenistan) were invited from Central Asia. The training was composed of lectures, presentations of the countries representatives, and of participation within the work groups.

The role of IWRM as a tool for adaptation to climate change was demonstrated during the training.

At the training it was paid attention that the inclusion of IWRM principles, and particularly, of adaptation to climate change, into the national development plans of each state is very important and effective.

Considerable achievements in this direction are attained in Malaysia. The IWRM principles are taken as a principle of water management in this country. There are no the basin water organizations outside the ministries in Malaysia.

The water economy department belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture. Until now department also dealt with problems of risk decreasing of climate change consequences.

At present the special group dealing with climate change and adaptation to it at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is established.

Governments at the prime-ministers level immediately respond to natural disasters, pliably adjusting the national plans.

The climate change forecasts / scenario are important issue mentioned at the training.

It was recommended to use the results of IPCC and of the World Meteorological Organization.

The idea to organize the same seminar for Central Asia was discussed because problems dealing with climate change are of specific character in the region.

SEMINAR-MEETING “DEVELOPMENT OF WATER INFORMATION NETWORK IN CIS BY EXAMPLE OF AND WITH THE HELP OF CENTRAL ASIAN REGIONAL WATER INFORMATION BASE “CAREWIB”

The seminar “Development of water information network in CIS by example of and with the help of Central Asian Regional Water Information Base “CAREWIB” was held with the assistance of the Moscow State University of Environmental Engineering in Moscow, 11-12 December, 2008.

Participants were acquainted with INBO activity, with experience on creation of information systems used in water sector of Central Asia (regional), Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Armenia, and also with activity of water management agencies in these countries at the seminar.

Having discussed the reports and having exchanged opinions, participants accepted the following decisions:

1. To thank the UNECE for support and active participation in organization of this event.
2. To recognize importance of information and professional cooperation between water experts, water users and stakeholders in the post-Soviet area.
3. To recognize interesting experience of ICWC on information exchange, adoption of IWRM, creation of regional (CAREWIB) and development of national information systems, etc.
4. To support the suggestion of action group and of INBO about creation of INBO network in Russian for the post-Soviet area.
5. To request INBO, UNECE, GWP CACENA and SDC about their support of such network development through trainings and seminars.
6. To state that participation in the given network is free of any financial payments and is completely voluntary and based on professional unity and mutual understanding, and is functioning as an exchange of opinions, experience, information on various aspects of water management activity.
7. To establish a permanent secretariat for network coordination. To implement information exchange through CAWater-Info portal and Russian-language section of INBO website.
8. To consider expedient within the existing work group of Russian NCID to ask the ICID leaders to concentrate their activity on development of information exchange in the fields of water management, irrigation and land reclamation in the CIS countries.