Uzbekistan. The members of the Basin Council (BC) of the Uzbek part of the Zarafshan River had their first meeting on 20 August 2024 in Samarkand.
The meeting was organized with the support of the project "Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management in the Zarafshan River Basin". The project is funded by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by a consortium consisting of Caritas-Switzerland and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC).
The project "Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management in the Zarafshan River Basin" aims to strengthen the capacity of local communities in the field of water resources management, including more effective planning and management of water resources, taking into account the effects of climate change in various sectors of the economy. The project also promotes more effective cross-border cooperation.
The first meeting brought together all BS members nominated by stakeholders, representatives of the NGO "Eco-Movement of the Republic of Uzbekistan" and the NGO "Women of the Agricultural Sector of Uzbekistan", research organizations, as well as experts and specialists of government agencies in the field of ecology, water management. Besides, the meeting convened the Chairman of the Committee of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the development of the Aral Sea region and ecology and a member of the CAREC Board of Governors Boriy Alikhanov, representatives of the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Mining and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The meeting presented the experience of the creation and operation of basin and small basin councils (SBC) on the example of the Balkhash-Alakol Basin Council (Kazakhstan), SBC of the Padsha-ata River (Uzbekistan).
The event participants also got introductory information on the main principles and importance of implementing integrated water resources management in the Zarafshan River Basin.
At the meeting, the BS members also discussed:
- Project plans and activities on issues related to the BS of the Zarafshan River;
- The role and tasks of the BS, the rights and obligations of the members of the BS, etc.
They listened to the outcomes of the discussion on the formation of a working group for the development of the basin plan, outlined the next steps, and also approved the minutes of the first meeting of the BS members.
Following the results of the first meeting, considering the opinions and proposals made, relevant recommendations were adopted.
At the end of the event, the Director of the CAREC Country Office in Uzbekistan, Jahongir Azizov, and the Chairperson of the NGO "Women in the Agricultural Sector of Uzbekistan", Adiba Akhmedzhanova, discussed the issue of further cooperation and signing a memorandum between CAREC and NGOs.
Additional information:
Jahongir Azizov, Director of the CAREC Country Office in the Republic of Uzbekistan, uzbekistan@carececo.org
Speech by the Chairman of the Committee of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the development of the Aral Sea region and ecology and a member of the CAREC Board of Governors, Boriy Alikhanov
Statements by representatives of the Ministry
Speech by the representative of the NGO "Women of the Agricultural Sector of Uzbekistan"
Speech by the Chairperson of the NGO "Women in the Agricultural Sector of Uzbekistan", Adiba Akhmedzhanova
