SIC ICWC TAKES PART IN THE WORLD WATER CONGRESS
Dr. Dinara Ziganshina, SIC ICWC Director, took part in the XVIII World Water Congress.
On September 11, 2023 she made a report on “Guaranteeing basic human rights – ensuring access to safe drinking water for all” at the 3rd Global Water Security seminar.
Despite efforts to achieve universal access to water and sanitation, 2.2 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, 3.5 billion people still lack safely managed sanitation services.
It has to be recognized that achieving SDG 6.1 by 2030 is a challenging task on a global scale. According to WHO and UNICEF, 16 countries below 99% coverage are on track to achieve universal basic water services by 2030; in 86 countries progress is too slow and in 11 countries with negative progress. Achieving SDG targets in low-income countries will require current rates of progress to increase 6 times for basic water and 20 times for safely managed water services.
The SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework aims to deliver five actions to accelerate the process. It is noted that the progress is possible if political commitment is enhanced, actions accelerated and funds secured. International cooperation and partnerships continue to be critical in tackling public health and water management challenges as global concerns.
On September 13, 2023 Dr. Dinara Ziganshina made a report on “Shared and innovative water information systems for an improved water resources management at national and basin levels”.
Data and information are key to informed water management and transboundary cooperation. It should be noted that, the global water conventions and the draft articles on the law of transboundary aquifers include an obligation to exchange data and information on transboundary rivers, lakes or aquifers.
The example of Central Asia shows that the Scientific Information Center, which is the executive body of ICWC, successfully carries out the information exchange between riparian countries. The portal CAWater-Info has been created by SIC ICWC and has no analogues in the region, providing users a vast amount of unique information on water resources, ecology, energy and other topics.
Dr. Dinara Ziganshina, Director of SIC ICWC made a report on “Implementation of national and international law – a look at the role and workings of the implementation committee under the water convention” at the special session SS-6-7 on September 13, 2023.
The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) is a recognized international legal instrument and intergovernmental platform which aims to ensure the sustainable use of transboundary water resources by facilitating cooperation. Since 2016, the Convention has been opened up for global accession. Since 2018, African countries have actively acceded to the Convention and Latin American and Asian countries are exploring the prospects.
The Implementation Committee is a working body of the Convention and plays a unique role in a contemporary rule- and evidence-based diplomacy by making use of the power of knowledge, persuasion and dialogue in assisting riparian countries to manage their shared waters in a sustainable and peaceful way.
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