MEETINGS OF THE WORKING GROUPS OF THE “IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ON STRENGTHENING ICWC ACTIVITIES IN KEY DIRECTIONS”
In the first week of September 2017, SIC ICWC, with the support of CAREC project “Promoting dialogue for conflict prevention related to environment, water nexus issues in Central Asia: Central Asia Water-Nexus Cooperation” funded by EU, organized three meetings of the working groups under the “Implementation Plan on strengthening ICWC activities in key directions.”
The “Implementation Plan on strengthening ICWC activities in key directions” was approved at the 63rd ICWC Meeting (April, 2014 in Tashkent) and consisted of four main directions:
- Water conservation
- Implementation of integrated water resource management and adaptation to climate change
- Improvement of water accounting quality and accuracy
- Building capacity of regional and national organizations through trainings and information field.
To implement the Plan at the regional level, a working group was established for each of four directions. The first meeting of the Working Group on Water Conservation was held in Ashgabat on June 6, 2017.
Meeting of ICWC Working Group on IWRM
On September 4, 2017, the first meeting of the Working Group on Implementation of Integrated Water Resource Management and Adaptation to Climate Change was held. The main aim of the Group is identifying achievements and shortcomings in the process of IWRM implementation in the Central Asian countries as a tool of green development and adaptation to climate change.
The first part of the meeting was combined with the session “IWRM implementation in the Central Asian countries: lessons learnt, challenges, and future plans” of the 5th meeting of the regional organizations involved in sustainable development and water management in Central Asia. In addition to the Group members from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, a representative of the National Water Partnership from Tajikistan shared his country’s experience in IWRM. Mr. N.N.Mirzaev (SIC ICWC) made a presentation on the “Regional review of IWRM implementation in Central Asia.” Moreover, CAREC presented information on IWRM implementation along small transboundary rivers in Central Asia (Mrs. A.Inozemtseva).
Further, a narrow-format meeting was held with Messrs. Sagadiev D.G. (Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan), Paluanov D. (Scientific Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems), Dukhovniy V.A. (SIC ICWC), Mirzaev N.N. (SIC ICWC), and Mrs. Ziganshina D.R. (SIC ICWC). They discussed progress on Activity plan 2017 and the structure of national and regional reports. It was decided that working group members would submit the first version of the reports to SIC ICWC by October 25, 2017. SIC ICWC will consider them and present a regional report on “Regional review of IWRM implementation in Central Asia” for consideration to the working group members by the Anniversary Conference of ICWC in Tashkent in November 2017.
Meeting of ICWC Working Group on Building Capacity of Regional and National Organizations
On September 5, 2017, the first meeting of the Working Group on Building Capacity of Regional and National Organizations was held. The main aim of the Group is summarizing experiences of the countries and supporting ICWC to coordinate capacity building of water professionals in order to enhance cooperation and facilitate thinking with deep understanding of a need to live friendly with neighbors in line with mutually agreed rules, based on mutual respect, benefit and consensus building.
The first part of the meeting was combined with the session “Building capacity and water sector professional development in the Central Asian countries” of the 5th meeting of the regional organizations involved in sustainable development and water management in Central Asia. In addition to the group members from Uzbekistan (Mr. Ishpulatov Z.) and Kazakhstan (Mr. Kipshakbaev Z.), Mr. Musabaev K. (National Water Partnership of the Kyrgyz Republic) and Mr. Pulatov Ya.E. (National Water Partnership of Tajikistan) presented their reports. The representatives of regional organizations made presentations on capacity building of ICWC experts (Mr.Rysbekov Yu.Kh., SIC ICWC), the results of the project “Building capacity in water sector in the Central Asian countries” implemented by CAREC and SIC ICWC (Mrs. Ziganshina D.R., SIC ICWC), and on country needs in capacity building identified in CAREC projects (Mrs. Inozemtseva A., CAREC).
Further, a narrow-format meeting was held to discuss progress on Activity plan 2017. Prof. Kipshakbaev N.K. proposed the Group to deal not only with professional development, but also to consider the needs in building capacities of ICWC regional and national organizations in a wider aspect.
The participants discussed the format and content of national and regional reports that would be presented at the Anniversary Conference of ICWC in Tashkent in November 2017.
Meeting of ICWC Working Group on Improvement of Water Accounting Quality and Accuracy
On September 7, 2017, the first meeting of the Working Group on Improvement of Water Accounting Quality and Accuracy was held during the International Scientific-Practical Conference “Transboundary Cooperation in Central Asia – Sustainability and Prosperity of the Region” in Almaty. Imasheva G.S. (Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan), Kuchkarov Sh.Z. (Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan), Dukhovniy V.A. (SIC ICWC), Ziganshina D.R. (SIC ICWC), Masumov R.R. (SIC ICWC), Saparbaev M. (BWO Amudarya), Nazariy L. (BWO Syrdarya), Japarkulov E.D. (professor, Department of Water Resources, KazNAU), Cassara M. (World Bank), as well as representatives of the scientific production center “Su Avromatika” (Kazakhstan) attended this side-event.
The main aim of the Group is summarizing activities at the national level and facilitating ICWC to improve the quality and accuracy of water accounting along transboundary rivers by implementing automated control and monitoring systems. The basic task for 2017 was defined in the Minutes of the 69th ICWC Meeting which underlined the “interests of the parties to improve operation of gauging stations throughout the Syrdarya River basin, including installation of automated stations, and the need for further joint activities in involving donors in this context.”
The participants discussed issues related to water accounting at the national and regional levels and approved the content of national and summary reports. It was decided that working group members would submit the first version of reports on water accounting in their countries and recommendations for its improvement by October 1, 2017. By October 15, 2017, SIC ICWC will summarize these reports and send the first version of the report on “Improvement of water accounting quality and accuracy in the Amudarya and Syrdarya River basins” to the group members. Then this report will be presented to ICWC members and at the Anniversary Conference of ICWC in November 2017.
|