LocationsUNDP and partners held a Regional seminar on water diplomacy to strengthen cooperation for sustainable water management in Central Asia
April 12, 2024
UNDP and partners held a Regional seminar on water diplomacy to strengthen cooperation for sustainable water management in Central Asia
Ashgabat, April 11, 2024: UNDP in Turkmenistan, together with the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) in Central Asia and the Scientific Information Centre of the Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development (SIC ICSD), organized a regional seminar on water diplomacy. The seminar was held on April 9 in the UN building in Ashgabat. The event was organized as part of the project “Conservation and sustainable management of land resources and high nature value ecosystems in the Aral Sea basin for multiple benefits”, financed by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and implemented by UNDP and the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan.
The seminar brought together representatives from various ministries and departments of Turkmenistan, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Committee of the Water Economy, the Academy of Sciences, the Khyakimliks of Dashoguz and Lebap velayats, the Turkmen Agricultural University named after S. Niyazov, the Dashoguz branch of the Executive Committee of the IFAS, the Central District Branch of the Basin Water Management Organization “Amudarya”, the "Turkmensuvylymtaslama" Institute, as well as non-governmental, regional and international organizations involved in cooperation on water and other environmental Issues in the Central Asia. During the seminar, participants engaged in discussions covering various topics such as enhancing regional cooperation in the Amu Darya River basin, the impact of climate change on regional water resources, issues related to transboundary watercourses, and the significance of water diplomacy in the Caspian Sea region.
“Water diplomacy plays a crucial role in the region due to its heavy reliance on transboundary water resources.,” said Mr. Tomica Paovic, UNDP Officer-in-Charge in Turkmenistan. “This process includes understanding of the complexity of water problems in the region, defining a coordinated approach, and fostering regional cooperation to ensure sustainable management of water resources in Central Asia.”
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The project “Conservation and Sustainable Management of Land Resources and Natural Ecosystems in the Aral Sea Basin”, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), aims to promote a land degradation neutrality and initial investments in participatory, integrated land use planning to restore and improve the use of land and water resources, taking into account key biodiversity habitats to secure critical ecosystem services. In addition, the project will address the drivers of biodiversity degradation, to strengthen the protection of globally important biodiversity, habitats, and species, through the expansion of the protected area system and strengthening of their management effectiveness. As result, the project will increase the resilience of the local population and preserve globally significant ecosystems in the zone of influence of the Aral Sea crisis in the Lebap and Dashoguz pilot velayats. The project will also support international knowledge sharing and engagement of Turkmenistan in the Aral Sea Basin management to ensure wider synergies and regional cooperation.
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