THE STATE COMMITTEE ON WATER MANAGEMENT AND LAND RECLAMATION IS ESTABLISHED BY THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT'S DECREE IN KYRGYZSTAN
The State Committee on Water Management and Land Reclamation is established by the Provisional Government's Decree in Kyrgyzstan. New organization substituted two ones already abolished - the Water resources agency and the state enterprise "Irrigation" at the Ministry of natural resources.
Mr. Baratali Koshmatov is appointed the acting chairman of the State Committee on Water Management and Land Reclamation of Kyrgyzstan.
Decree no 41 of the Provisional Government of the Kyrgyz Republic
of 20 May 2010
establishing the State Committee on Water Management and Land Reclamation of the Kyrgyz Republic
Aiming to improve governance of water management complex and water resources management of the Kyrgyz Republic, and being governed by the Decree no 1 of the Provisional Government of the Kyrgyz Republic of 7 April 2010, the Provisional Government of the Kyrgyz Republic accept this Decree:
1. To establish the State Committee on Water Management and Land Reclamation of the Kyrgyz Republic on the basis of the Water Resources Agency and the State Enterprise "Irrigation" at the Ministry of Natural Resources, with the transfer of responsibilities in the part of monitoring and ensuring governmental control over the filling and drawdown of water volume in all reservoirs of national importance.
2. To establish that:
The State Committee on Water Management and Land Reclamation of the Kyrgyz Republic (hereinafter referred to as "Committee"):
- is entered into the organizational structure of the Provisional Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Chaiman of the Committee is a member of the Provisional Government of the Kyrgyz Republic;
- is a successor of the Water Resources Agency and the State Enterprise "Irrigation" at the Ministry of Natural Resources;
- the normative legal acts of the Kyrgyz Republic are valid in the part, which does not contradict this Decree;
- The Committee is housed in a building formerly occupied by the Water Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic located on the address: Bishkek, A. Toktonalieva Street, 4 "A".
3. The State Committee on Water Management and Land Reclamation of the Kyrgyz Republic should develop and submit at a stated order for approval:
- within a month - Draft regulations, organizational structure, management scheme and staff of the Committee within the approved budget and staffing level of Water Resources Agency and the State Enterprise "Irrigation" at the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic;
- the Draft National Water Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic.
4. Ministry of Natural Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic should adjust its normative legal acts in accordance with this Decree.
5. Monitoring of this Decree implementation is entrusted to the Head of the Provisional Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.
6. This Decree comes into force from the day of its signing.
The Head
of the Provisional Government
R. Otunbaeva
DONORS SHARE VISION OF THE NEW ARAL SEA BASIN PROGRAMME
21 May 2010 Almaty hosted a donor coordination meeting to identify potential for future international support programs in Aral Sea Basin under the Third Aral Sea Basin Programme (ASBP-3). The meeting was attended by government organizations from 25 countries, international institutions, embassies, international organizations including of UN system and academic institutions.
The donor organizations such as the World Bank and Swiss Cooperation and Development Agency building on the past experience in Aral Sea Basin, have presented their visions of future programs design and implementation, including ASBP-3. They, in particular, highlighted the need to identify the role and place of IFAS and its Executive Committee, its support strategies of ASBP-3 goals and objectives; ensuring feedback through the respective national bodies. It has also been noted that all projects submitted for approval should have guaranteed and adequate financing (on the part of national governments and /or donors). The meeting participants expressed appreciation of the role of IFAS as a coordinating body, which provides a political platform for the five CA countries activities and noted that successful implementation of projects should be supported by continuous and sustainable functioning IFAS EC.
Participants presented as specific information on the inclusion of existing and planned project activity and the projects themselves, and also the projects that are in development stage and in the process of searching funding into ASBP-3.
The UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy (UN RCPD) presented at meeting a Road Map for cooperation with IFAS EC for the period 2010-2011 aimed at exchange of information and joint activity. In July of this year RCPD together with IFAS EC and other international partners is planning a meeting of energy, water resources and foreign affairs ministers of CA countries to support IFAS EC at the closing stage of ASBP-3.
USAID in collaboration with other key donors – EBRD, World Bank, GTZ, UN system – will provide support to IFAS EC in two areas: assessment of region’s vulnerability to climate change and building mutually beneficial dialogue and cooperation on multi-target use of water resources considering the “water-energy-agriculture-water and food security – regional stability” links and climate change processes.
Strategic partnership with Central Asia is a priority task for the German Government. In June 2007 Germany initiated a new EU-Central Asia partnership strategy. A wide spectrum of GTZ projects provide assistance to CA countries development in such areas as education, sustainable economic development, legal and law reforms, environmental and economic changes.
Currently there are two main regional programs in Aral Sea basin, which are: “Transboundary Water management in Central Asia” and “Improving Economic and Environmental Wellbeing of Aral Sea Basin Area” (EEWA). In 2010 this program has become IFAS partner in the Third Aral Sea Basin Program. EEWA program is implemented in cooperation with the central Asian Countries Initiative on Land Management (CACILM) and Central Asian Regional Environmental Center (CAREC).
UNECE representatives highlighted 4 areas of project activity to be included into ASBP-3:
- strengthening legal and institutional base;
- water quality;
- hydraulic safety;
- integrated water management as part of the EU Initiative.
The World Bank presented a Regional Programme for the Advancement of hydrometeorological and climate services, which will also include a part in the ASBP-3. Regional Centre of Glaciology in Almaty could be seen as a component for the implementation of the evaluation of climate change, which is planned by UNESCO as part of scientific and technical cooperation.
Also the World Bank representatives informed about the Concept of Regional Water Program, as well as their plans for implementing of “energy-climate change” component in collaboration with USAID. They highlighted 4 areas, which can be included in ASBP-3: generation, transmission of energy, water productivity, improvement of a dialogue among water entities.
International Bureau of Water Resources has developed a project “Capacity Building in Decision-Making for Assessment of Water Resources in EECCA”, where as one of the pilot basins has been chosen Aral Sea Basin. This project has been approved for funding by the French Environment Ministry.
UNDP presented a capacity building project in disaster risk management for 2010-2014. Jointly with UNECE United Nations Development Programme intends to pursue projects in the area of IWRM, hydropower.
CAREC identified the following areas of project activity: management of water quality, drinking water supply systems in small settlements, giving the status of international importance to one or two wetlands in the delta of the Syrdarya and in the eastern part of the Small Aral Sea, representing the key ornithological habitats approved by the Ramsar Convention; valuation of ecosystems and their services.
International Water Management Institute, Ministry of Norway, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), UNEP, expressed a wish to maintain contact with the IFAS EC and to consider participating and contributing to the development of the ASBP-3.
During the meeting the IFAS EC presented a brief overview of submitted IFAS project proposals from the countries of Central Asia. The number of project proposals that meet the requirements of the framework document, was: 13 project proposals from the Republic of Kazakhstan, 27 - from the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan - 14, from Turkmenistan - 21 and 25 - from the Republic of Uzbekistan. The process of entering the draft continues, the Board considers the IFAS and allocates projects to areas of the program.
In conclusion participants noted productivity of the Coordination Meeting, the results of which along with the results of future coordination meetings will enter the Donor conference in late 2010, at which presentation of ASBP-3 is planned.
Source: EC IFAS
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