By-law of the Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination in Central Asia

I. General

1.1. According to the Agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan on Cooperation in the Field of Management, Utilization and Protection of Water Resources in Interstate Sources, which signed on behalf of sovereign states in February 18, 1992 in Almaty, an Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) was established.

1.2. ICWC by its decision of December 5, 1992 established an Interstate Scientific-Information Center (SIC) of ICWC. SIC ICWC includes: regional research institute – NPO SANIIRI; regional design institute - PKTI “Vodavtomatika and Metrologiya”; five leading national scientific-information centers:

1. Kazgiprovodkhoz
2. Kirgizgiprovodkhoz
3. TajikNIIGiM
4. Turkmengiprovodkhoz
5. PO “Vodproekt”;

six national organizations:

1. KazNIIVH
2. KyrgyzNIIirrigation
3. Institute of Water Problems at the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences
4. Tajikgiprovodkhoz
5. Institute of Water Problems at the Turkmen Academy of Sciences
6. Institute of Water Problems at the Uzbek Academy of Science;

and, national branches of SIC ICWC.

II. Goals and objectives

2.1. SIC ICWC as an executive body of ICWC is responsible for drafting decisions on future development and water policies, improvement of use and management of water resources, as well as improvement of environmental situation in the region.

2.2. In this context, SIC ICWC together with constituent organizations designs projects for the Central Asian region and carries out their feasibility studies in the following directions:

• common water policy, development of its major directions in the interests of population and economic sectors in the Central Asian states;
• common regional water conservation program and improvement of water supply in Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins and appropriate measures;
• provision of rationale for possible water transfers from other river basins to the Aral Sea basin;
• improvement of environmental situation and mitigation of consequences from drying up of the Aral Sea and exhaustion of water sources, environmental relief in Prearalie, river deltas and sea basin;
• stabilization of fluviomorphological processes in Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, development of well-grounded bank protection measures;
• set of measures for modernization of water measurement and accounting, development to this end of new powerful technological tools;
• provision of scientific rationale and methodological basis for automated management systems of Basin Water Organizations (BWO) - BWO Amu Darya and BWO Syr Darya;
• economic assessment of water management and protection measures;
• development of a common information base on the use of water resources and on monitoring of water, irrigated land, and adjacent territories.

2.3. In addition, SIC ICWC is charged with the following tasks:

2.3.1. Development of cooperation for implementation of water conservation technologies, advanced irrigation practices, water measurement and accounting methods and other measures contributing to better irrigation systems and water use, including establishment of demonstration sites for water conservation and advanced water management technologies, land reclamation, etc.

2.3.2. Preparation of periodical publications and provision of water-related organizations with information about scientific and technological achievements, best practices and list of water-related products manufactured by enterprises in ICWC member-states;

2.3.3. Development of the regional information and reference fund, taking into account specifics of economic development in the countries, and its filling, based on common thematic list, with local and international scientific and technical literature, news and patent and license materials, including reference and information service and exchange of technical literature;

2.3.4. Coordination and expertise of all international projects implemented to solve regional water problems in the Central Asian countries as part of the “Program of concrete actions for environmental improvement in the Aral Sea basin”. If these projects are implemented by SIC ICWC organizations and require regional or interstate coordination, their funding should be done through SIC ICWC. Acceptance of work and expertise are made with involvement of all concerned parties.

2.3.5. Establishment of joint regional enterprises.

2.3.6. Organization of regional training courses for capacity building of those involved in the water sector.

III. Organization of activity

3.1. SIC ICWC shall organize its activity itself and through its branches in accordance with the assigned tasks, with involvement of design institutes, research institutes, design-engineering department, associations and other organizations from ICWC member-states on basis of work plan approved by ICWC and contract work.

3.2. SIC ICWC shall coordinate fulfillment of the ICWC-approved plan of research and design work by leading and national organizations and its branches and of work undertaken under the Aral Sea Basin Program, make expertise and approve work completed.

3.3. SIC ICWC has its own editorial-publishing base for periodical publication of collections of scientific papers, newsletters, press-releases, etc.

3.4. ICWC member-states can use the SIC’s reference and information fund free of charge.

3.5. SIC ICWC and its national branches shall be funded through National Ministries of Water Resources:

• for information system development and maintenance based on the cost estimate approved by ICWC and agreed with the Executive Committee of ICAS and IFAS executive direction at expense of member fees to the International Fund for Aral Sea Saving proportionally to amount of water resources used;
• for publication of ICWC bulletin and other information materials - in equal shares for the republics;
• for strategic planning and development of ICWC research and design work based on ICWC approved work plan – by each National Ministry for Water Resources at expense of member fees to the International Fund for Aral Sea Saving.

IV. Governance

4.1. General governance of SIC ICWC is exercised by the Regional Council, which includes directors of all SIC ICWC organizations and heads of its branches.

The Regional Council is charged with the following tasks:

• prepare joint work plans to be submitted to ICWC for approval;
• coordinate joint research to support addressing of regional water problems, development of ecological programs and measures on water resources protection and development in Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins;
• prepare proposals for ICWC regarding assignment of executors for the projects implemented as part of the program supported by international organizations.

4.2. SIC ICWC is headed by Executive Director appointed by ICWC decision (hereinafter referred to as Director).

4.3. SIC ICWC Director shall:

• undertake overall management of the Center in the period between meetings of the Regional Council, represent the Center with full authority, sign agreements and issue a power of attorney;
• within his mandate, issue orders and instructions, recruit and appoint executive office, approve list of staff members, set salaries and increments, give bonuses;
• report every quarter at regular meetings of the Regional Council about work progress.

4.4. SIC ICWC Director forms executive office, including regional information-computing center, international communications division, information-publishing division, and regional water resources division.

4.4.1. SIC ICWC is a legal entity, which has a round seal with its name in Russian and English, current and foreign currency bank accounts, property, independent and consolidated balances.

4.4.2. SIC ICWC is located in Tashkent and operates under the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, given statutes and the decision of ICAS about the status of the Aral Sea international entities.

4.4.3. SIC ICWC has the right to establish its branches and sub-divisions in ICWC member-states in agreement with these states.

4.5. SIC ICWC is financed according to para. 3.5 at expense of budget allocations, as well as grants, loans and other donations from interstate organizations, through target financing of the share of efforts made by SIC organizations, which is set annually by the Regional Council, and through contracts fulfilled directly by SIC.

4.6. Within the sovereign territories of the Central Asian states all projects aimed to solve the Aral Sea problem are implemented by national institutes and organizations of ICWC member-states.

V. Authorized capital stock and property

5.1. The authorized capital stock of SIC ICWC equals 8,672,000 soums and is formed from contributions of ICWC members and EC ICAS, as well as donors’ subsidies.

5.2. The property purchased at expense of ICWC member-states and other sources shall belong to SIC ICWC.

5.3. In case of liquidation of SIC ICWC, its property is distributed among the member-states according to their contributed shares.

VI. Accounting, reporting and audit

6.1. SIC ICWC shall maintain accounting records and, if necessary, provide reporting on all kinds of scientific, financial and economic activity particularly under contracts with ICWC, and ensure reliability of the provided reports.

6.2. SIC ICWC reports to ICWC and submits all annual reports to ICWC meeting.

6.3. Audit of SIC ICWC activity shall be made once a year by an Auditing Commission formed by ICWC decision. ICWC can decide to engage an audit company, if necessary.

VII. External economic activity

7.1. As assigned by ICWC, SIC ICWC maintains external economic relations with organizations outside ICWC member-states and with international organizations on matters related to solution of problems faced in the Aral Sea basin, including scientific-technical cooperation, establishment of joint ventures, entry to the market of technologies and science-intensive services, foreign trade, involvement of sponsors and grant financing in ICWC activity.

7.2. Allocation of funds received from international sponsor organizations and banks among the republics for addressing regional issues shall be approved by ICWC.

VIII. Cessation of activity

8.1. SIC ICWC ceases its activity by ICWC decision.