SESSION «INPUT OF CENTRAL ASIA TO THE WORLD WATER PROGRESS»
The regional session “Input of Central Asia to the World Water Progress” was held on 15th of March in Marseilles within 6WWF.
The session was opened by Prof. Ibatulin S.R., Chairman of EC IFAS, who briefly outlined the preparatory work at the regional level prior to the Forum. Then, the floor was given to ICWC members: from Kazakhstan - Mr. Abishev I.A., Chairman of Committee for Water Resources; from Tajikistan - Mr. Khasanov Kh., Deputy Minister (instead of R.B. Bobokalonov); and, from Uzbekistan - Mr. Khamraev Sh.R., Deputy Minister.
The Sub-regional coordinator Prof. Dukhovny V.A. in his welcome speech underlined that we all came to this event to take new ideas and solutions presented at the Forum from the entire world and share huge experience accumulated in the Central Asian region in addressing water problems and promoting continuous improvement of political, engineering, economic, and managerial mechanisms. This allows us overcoming successfully both dry and high-water years and developing capacities of our organizations, professionals, and water users.
Thanks to support of donors from Canada, USA, Holland, the World Bank, Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency, European Union and German, we have developed many unique instruments - the training system, IWRM implementation system, and regional information system. In support of the Minister Bobokalonov's opinion, who stressed a potential for cooperation and willingness among all to develop it, this idea was approved at the last ICWC meeting in Almaty. We jointly elaborated measures to overcome this year's high flow probability and are already being implemented along Amudarya river and Syrdarya river. The guarantee of successful water management in the future is our solutions. Therefore neither donors nor external advisors ( thanks to them for help) will bring us on a plate ready-made solutions - our survival is in our hands, so let us demonstrate our capacity for future development. The Japanese say that to climb stairs by one family the family members should go together! Our experience proves that one can not consider yourself absolutely independent of its neighbors, because our water networks and water sources are so intertwined that any impact in one place will get reaction in another one. Therefore, the best solution lays in common solutions and common adherence to these decisions. For the development of cooperation, which our colleagues advocate, we should seek the points that unite us, look for consensus and avoid the points that separate us.
The regional platform of priorities, targets, and solutions that was prepared on the basis of concept notes, comments received to these notes and following discussions during 5 workshops held among representatives of countries were presented to the session's participants. The final version of the platform was approved at a workshop held on 27 February 2012 in Shimkent.
Target coordinators reported on the results of their work on priorities: Narbayev M., representative of Kazakhstan in EC IFAS (priority «International cooperation on transboundary watercourses management to the benefit of all countries in the region»), Balliyev K.B., representative of Turkmenistan in EC IFAS (priority «Risk management and water security»), Mukhamedjanov Sh.Sh., manager of the Project “Water productivity improvement at plot level” (priority «Adoption of innovations in agriculture through agrarian reforms in order to achieve food security»), Sokolov V.I., regional coordinator of GWP for Caucasus and Central Asia (priority «Integrated water resources management – a tool for balancing multiple uses of water»), Sanginov S. (priority «Climate change and conserving environmental capacity»), and Dukhovny V.A., director of SIC ICWC (priority «Guaranteeing water for future generations»).
Ms. Strikelyova Ye., Regional environmental center of Central Asia, informed about on-going projects on IWRM implementation in Kazakhstan and about the results of pilot project aimed to adopt charges for ecosystem services in Chonaksu, Kyrgyzstan. Mr. Klimtchouk F., UN Center for preventive diplomacy, thanked for instructive and informative presentations and told about some projects initiated by the Center for strengthening of cooperation in the region, with involvement of Afghanistan. Mr. Kipshakbayev N.K. underlined a need for implementation of IWRM on a scale of transboundary basins and for fulfillment of ASBP-3 («We have plan of actions - now it’s time to start acting»). Mr. Gafarov B., NGO from Tajikistan, stressed a need for addressing of water and energy harmonization issue.
Then, ICWC members took the floor. Mr. Abishev, Chairman of the Committee on Water Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, focused on work initiated in Kazakhstan for reconstruction of irrigation and collector-drainage systems and on subsidizing (up to 80%) of capital costs to those water users, who contribute to such work and to water conservation technologies. The Government also plans to develop an economic incentives policy for enlargement of private farms.
Mr. Khasanov, Deputy Minister of Land Reclamation and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, underlined efforts undertaken to develop solutions on the Central Asian priorities and made his proposals on their improvement (they were reflected in the protocol).
Mr. Khamraev Sh.R., Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan, reported on achievements of Uzbekistan in implementation of IWRM, which covered 10% of the total irrigated area, and on the improvement of land conditions in the republic. He also expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation within the framework of IFAS and to take up the torch from Kazakhstan and to ensure effective activity of the Executive Committee of IFAS in Tashkent.
SIGNING OF THE WORLD PACT FOR BETTER BASIN MANAGEMENT
Prof. Dukhovny V.A. on behalf of the Network of water-management organizations from Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia (EECCA-NBO) and Dr. Sokolov V.I. on behalf of GWP for Caucasus and Central Asian signed the "World Pact for better basin management". Document can be found here: www.inbo-news.org/inbo/information/the-pact-for-better-basins-management
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