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No. 75 (520) December 2024



THE WORLD BANK HAS RELEASED A NEW REPORT TITLED "A BLUEPRINT FOR RESILIENCE: CHARTING THE COURSE FOR WATER SECURITY IN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA"

On 12 December, 2024, the World Bank hosted a virtual event to launch its diagnostic report “A Blueprint for Resilience: Charting the Course for Water Security in Europe and Central Asia”. The report addresses key water security challenges in the region and provides strategic, actionable recommendations to strengthen resilience and ensure sustainable water management. It draws on insights from the Danube Regional Water Security Assessment, six in-depth country analysis (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine), and eight broader country assessments (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).

Camilo Lombana Cordoba, Senior Expert for Water Supply and Sanitation, and Raimund Mair, Senior Expert for Water Resources Management at the World Bank, presented the report’s key findings, focusing on transboundary water resources and the need for a coordinated approach in the context of climate change and growing water demand.

Representatives from Turkey, Albania and SIC ICWC Central Asia participated in a panel discussion moderated by Sameh Wahba, Regional Director for Sustainable Development for the Europe and Central Asia region at the World Bank.

Dr. Ziganshina, Director of SIC ICWC, highlighted the significance of transboundary water management in Central Asia, a region with one of the highest dependency ratios in Europe and Central Asia region (47%). She pointed out that existing agreements and institutions on transboundary water use have laid a solid foundation for cooperation, which should be reinforced in the light of new realities for equitable and sustainable use of resources. She also stressed the critical role of regional cooperation in enhancing water accounting and monitoring systems. In her view, such efforts can facilitate joint investments and share benefits, ultimately improving water security across the region.

The report is available on