Central Asia Nexus Dialogue Project: Fostering Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus and Multi-Sector Investment (PHASE II)

News

Location
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Funding sources
European Union
Budget
Total €1,250,000; EU contribution €1,000,000
Status
Active
Duration
June 2020 – June 2023
Thematic area
Linkages between water, energy, food security (WEF Nexus), intersectoral planning, cost-benefit sharing, transboundary cooperation
General information

The second phase of the European Union funded “Central Asia Nexus Dialogue Project: Fostering Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus and Multi-Sector Investment” is a continuation of the first phase of the project which is implemented by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC).

This project is the part of the Nexus Regional Dialogues Programme in five regions of the world with financial support from the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The first phase of the project was implemented in five countries of Central Asia (CA) in the period from December 2016 to December 2019 years in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and with the support of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS), as well as a number of relevant ministries responsible for WEF issues.

TARGET GROUPS:

WEF related line ministries and experts, local authorities, CA Academic Network, International Financial Institutions (IFIs).

OVERALL OBJECTIVE:

Institutionalisation of WEF Nexus approach in national and regional governance structures and investment decisions for water, energy and food security in Central Asia.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

  • To apply the WEF Nexus approach in planning, policy making and practical implementation;

  • To increase interest of public and private investors to support Nexus based projects in CA.

                      
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  • General Information
    • Nexus project fact sheet 2023 PDF pdf-icon
    • List of the Regional Steering Committee members, as of June 1, 2022 PDF pdf-icon
    • Triplet_Nexus (Phase 2), 2022 PDF pdf-icon
    • Roll up_Nexus (Phase 2) 2022 PDF pdf-icon
    • Sheet with QR-codes of key publications, 2023 PDF pdf-icon
    • Factsheet on Nexus demonstration projects in Central Asia (brief information brochure), 8 pages, 2023 PDF pdf-icon
    • Nexus demo projects in Central Asia, 23 pages, 2023 PDF pdf-icon
    • Article: Investing in multisectoral projects in Central Asia: challenges and opportunities, 2023 PDF pdf-icon
    • Article: Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus in Turkmenistan, 2022 PDF pdf-icon
    • Proposed small-scale demonstration projects, 2020 PDF pdf-icon
  • Nexus demo project in Kazakhstan
  • Nexus demo project in Tajikistan
  • Nexus demo project on Tuyamuyn hydrocomplex (Uzbekistan-Turkmenista)
  • Training materials

IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGMENTS

To ensure coordination and alignment of activities during Phase II of the Project, the Regional Steering Committee (RSC) established in Phase I will continue to operate and a Technical Working Group (TWG) will be established for the small-scale transboundary demonstration project.

The Network of Academic Society (NAS) consisting of representatives of universities, professional development institutes and training centers that has been operating in Central Asia since 2013 with the support of the World Bank and CAREC, will be involved as an expert support to exchange academic knowledge, research development, modern methods and technologies in the field of sustainable management and use of natural resources.

The Global Nexus Secretariat (GNS) is a coordinating body for implementation of Nexus projects in different regions of the world. It supports exchange of knowledge and experience among project teams, coordinates development of methodological materials and tools required for planning, evaluation and implementation of Nexus projects.

CAREC, as an implementer of the Nexus Dialogue in CA Project, will ensure that the objectives of Phase II of the Nexus project are achieved, interested partners are informed and involved, as well as that project co-financing commitments are met.

Demo projects manifest the most important element of the Project and serve the platform for showcasing the Nexus approach in practice through the application of analytical products and finding technical solutions ensuring the WEF security. Based on the undertaken efforts and formulated solutions applicable to the demo projects, the investment proposals will be elaborated as the main Project’s output and offered for public, private and/or IFI financing.

Remarkably, the four selected demo projects address a variety of WEF security challenges:

1)     Transboundary demo project between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan “Tuyamuyun Hydroelectric Complex”;

2)     National demo project in Kazakhstan “Afforestation of the dried bottom of the Aral Sea: piloting a closed root system” ;

3)     National demo project in the Kyrgyz Republic “Institutionalization of the WEF Nexus approach in the agricultural sector”;

4)    National demo project in Tajikistan “Improving the electricity consumption control and monitoring system at pumping stations and upgrading a large pumping station in Sughd Region in the Republic of Tajikistan based on energy-efficient technologies” 

Another equally important component of the Project is an Interactive Nexus Game. The game was developed by the Polish organization Centre for Systems Solutions in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative. The game represents a facilitated process of playing five different scenarios on water, energy and food resources management between downstream and upstream countries. Each participant has a role and not only learns how to defend the issues of their sector, but also to hear other participants, argue their proposals and find compromises. The full Nexus Game takes up to 5 hours and is played using a map, colored tokens and cards.


The game vividly illustrates well-known problems and potential conflicts between upstream and downstream countries. During one of the scenarios, for example, participants can put themselves in the shoes of downstream countries that were not willing to tolerate water pollution from upstream countries.


Expected Results
  • Regional multi-sectoral Nexus dialogue is strengthened with support of the Regional Steering Committee and Technical Working Group established for the transboundary demonstration project;

  • One transboundary and three small-scale demonstration projects are implemented to serve as pilot sites to prepare:  

-        institutional and socio-economic assessments for all demonstration projects;

-        simulation analysis (cost-benefit or trade off) for two demonstration projects;

-        technical solutions for three demonstration projects;

  • Investment-ready proposals for two demonstration projects are developed and submitted to potential investors;
  • Analytical and planning tools relevant for supporting Nexus based decisions are tested in Central Asia;

  • Capacity of the WEF line ministries and national experts on the application of the Nexus tools for designing investment projects enhanced;
  • The vision to institutionalise the Nexus approach in national and regional governance structures and investment decisions is improved.


Наименование события Дата проведения Место проведения
2020
National Consultation Meetings in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan 10 September 2020 online
First meeting of the Regional Steering Committee 27 October 2020 online
2021
First meeting of the Technical Working Group of the demo project at THC 23 February 2021 online
Field visit to the North Aral Sea area within the demo project in Kazakhstan 27 April 2021 North Aral, Kazakhstan
Second meeting of the Regional Steering Committee 24 June 2021 online
Second meeting of the Technical Working Group of the demo project at THC 23 July 2021 online
First meeting of the Technical Working Group of the demo project in Tajikistan 28 July 2021 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Meeting of the Network of Academic Societies in Dushanbe and the Nexus Game 18 October 2021 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Second meeting of the Technical Working Group of the demo project in Tajikistan 21 October 2021 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Third meeting of the Technical Working Group of the demo project at THC 02 November 2021 online
Third meeting of the Regional Steering Committee 16 November 2021 Almaty, Kazakhstan
2022
Fourth meeting of the Technical Working Group of the demo project at THC 15 February 2022 online
Training of Trainers on the Interactive Nexus Simulation in Kyrgyzstan 21 February 2022 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Training of Trainers on the Interactive Nexus Simulation in Tajikistan 03 March 2022 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Training of Trainers on the Interactive Nexus Simulation in Uzbekistan 17 March 2022 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Nexus training in Senegal 29 March 2022 Dakar, Senegal
3rd TWG Meeting of the Demo Project in Sughd Province, Tajikistan 06 April 2022 online
Nexus Game with RCC Members 11 May 2022 Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Fifth meeting of the Technical Working Group of the demo project at THC 11 May 2022 Urgench, Uzbekistan
4th meeting of the Regional Steering Committee 06 June 2022 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Second meeting of the Network of Academic Societies 09 June 2022 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Regional Conference on Strengthening Networking and Cooperation among Scientific Institutions in Central Asia 10 June 2022 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Training of Trainers on the Interactive Nexus Simulation in Kazakhstan 03 October 2022 Astana, Kazakhstan
Sixth meeting of the TWG for the transboundary demo project at Tuyamuyun Hydroelectric Complex. 26 October 2022 online
5th meeting of the Regional Steering Committee 05 December 2022 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Training of Trainers on the Interactive Nexus Simulation in Turkmeistan 14 December 2022 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
2023
Training of Trainers on the Interactive Nexus Simulation in Turkmenistan (7 and 10 February) 07 February 2023 Ashgabat and Dashoguz, Turkmenistan
Special Event to Promote Green Investments Based on the WEF Nexus Approach 22 February 2023 Rome, Italy
Nexus Final Conference 16 May 2023 Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Achievements to date:

·        Four demonstration projects on the following tasks implemented:

1.      To tackle the sedimentation issue at Tuyamuyun Hydro Complex (THC) (UZB-TKM)


2.      To improve energy efficiency at pumping stations in Sughd region (TAJ)


3.      To pilot a closed root system for planting saxaul seedlings on the dried bottom of the Aral Sea (KAZ)

4·        To include WEF Nexus in the Agriculture Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2021-2025

·       Initial concepts of investment projects developed for:

1.      Technical solutions for the removal of sediment from the THC reservoir and the production of pilot products from sediment (brick, foam block, facing tiles), profit and loss analysis;

2.      Smart and energy-efficient equipment at pumping stations in the Sughd region, Tajikistan;

3.      Afforestation of the dried bottom of the Aral Sea;  

.       16 analytical documents on Nexus approach and findings of Nexus demo projects prepared;

·       44 regional and national events on WEF Nexus held for 1227 participants (721 men / 506 women);

 ·     15 universities and public administration academiesfrom Central Asian countries involved to study the WEF Nexus approach and 7 memoranda of cooperation signed;



·        Three dialogue platforms function: Regional Steering Committee and two Technical Working Groups.

Project manager – Ms. Ludmilla Kiktenko 

E-mail: lkiktenko@carececo.org 

Tel.: +7 727 265 43 33 (ext. 107)


Project Specialist – Aizhan Kossantayeva

Tel.: +7(727) 265 43 33 (ext. 151)

E-mail: empspecialist@carececo.org

 

Coordinator for development of Community of Practice and Network of Academia Society – Zamira Zholdaskyzy

Tel.: +7 727 265 43 34 (ext. 277)

E-mail: empspecialist1@carececo.org

 

PR and Info Specialist – Botagoz Smagulova

Tel.: +7 727 265 43 34 (ext. 170)

E-mail: empinfo@carececo.org


Programme Assistant – Aisha Mukhamedrakhim

   Tel.: +7(727) 265 43 33 (ext. 151)

E-mail: empassistant@carececo.org