Armenia
The Policy Dialogue was initiated in 2006. It facilitates implementation of the IWRM principles in the national legislative and institutional frameworks. In 2010, the UNECE and the OECD established a joint NPD/IWRM Steering Committee, which allows more synergies and better coordination of activities. Within the dialogue, a programme of water management measures was developed for the Marmarik river basin. The NPD/IWRM also focused on economic instruments in water management; the OECD organized activities on IWRM financing in the Marmarik river basin and has started similar activities in the Debed river basin. A pilot project on payments for ecosystem services in the Hazran river basin is being implemented in 2010-2011 with the support from the funds of the Government of Switzerland through the UNECE.
In 2009, a proposal for an “Action plan on improving health in Armenia through target setting to ensure sustainable water management, access to safe water and adequate sanitation” was elaborated. This proposal for supporting the development of the programme of actions under the Protocol on Water and Health has been submitted for funding from the Finnish Government. A Policy Brief “Summary of results and lessons learned from the implementation of the NPD/IWRM in Armenia within the UNECE NPD on IWRM” was published; it is available from the Armenian Water Portal at www.awp.am/en/Reports.html. Plans for the continuation of the NPD/IWRM focus on the economic and financial dimension of IWRM. Activities will include pilot projects to support further development and implementation of IWRM principles in Armenia.
Statement on Common Understanding of the State Water Committee and the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia and the December 2006 EU Water Initiative Mission on National Policy Dialogue on Water-Related Issues in Armenia.
Azerbaijan
The First Steering Committee was organized in October 2010. The NPD/IWRM focuses on the development of a government strategy for the management of water resources. Transboundary water cooperation with neighbouring Georgia, specifically the preparation of a bilateral agreement on management of shared transboundary waters, is another important issue on the National Policy Dialogue agenda. The policy dialogue in Azerbaijan will build on related activities by both the UNECE and the OECD. The recently completed second UNECE Environmental Performance Review of Azerbaijan makes recommendations, which feed into the dialogue. The NPD/IWRM in Azerbaijan is funded by the EC and the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE). The Government of Finland will contribute with expert support to preparation of the strategy for management of water resources.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Information about meetings and events under the countries' dialogues is available on the Meetings webpage.
Georgia
The UNECE-led NPD/IWRM started in Georgia in September 2010 with meetings of the UNECE Water Convention Secretariat with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources and other stakeholders. The kick-off meeting took place in March 2011. The National Policy Dialogue on IWRM in Georgia focuses on three major topics: preparation of the National Water Law based on the IWRM principles; setting up the targets for implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health; and transboundary activities, including cooperation with the neighbouring Azerbaijan and accession to the Water Convention. In addition to the EC grant, the NPD/IWRM in Georgia is supported by the Government of Finland and the OSCE. The first Steering Committee meeting is planned for June 2011.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Georgia and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. National Policy Dialogue on Integrated Water Resources Management in Georgia under the EU Water Initiative.
Information about meetings and events under the countries' dialogues is available on the Meetings webpage.
Kyrgyz Republic
In Kyrgyzstan, the dialogue process started in 2008 and focused on setting-up a River Basin Council for the Chu basin and developing an action plan to achieve sustainable water management, safe drinking water supply and adequate sanitation in accordance to the Protocol on Water and Health. Three SC meetings have been organized. Dialogue outcomes feature two policy packages, including a regulation for the establishment of a river basin council for the Chu river basin and an action plan to achieve the water-related Millennium Development Goals through the implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health. In 2010, the NPD process was interrupted by the political changes that occurred in the country. The fourth SC meeting will take place in May 2011. It will focus on the institutional aspects of IWRM and national policies for transboundary cooperation. In 2010-2012, the NPD/IWRM in Kyrgyzstan is supported by the EC and by the Government of Finland.
Video interview (in Russian) with Mr. Chyngyzbek UZAKBAEV, Deputy Head, Water and Melioration State Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, here.
Information about meetings and events under the countries' dialogues is available on the Meetings webpage.
Republic of Moldova
The NPD/IWRM started in 2006. The dialogue has led to three policy packages adopted in 2009-2010, including a Governmental Order on wastewater discharges from municipal sources (2009), a Draft Order of the Agency Apele Moldovei on the establishment of river basin management authorities and river basin councils (2009), and an Action Plan to achieve the water-related Millennium Development Goals under the Protocol on Water and Health. In 2009-2010 with financial assistance of the Government of Switzerland under an agreement between the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and UNECE, the Dialogue focused on the setting up of targets and target dates on water and health in accordance with the Protocol. It resulted in a Government Decision on the targets under the Protocol that was adopted on 20 October 2010.
The main focus of the NPD in the future would be the monitoring of implementation of the established targets under the Protocol on Water and Health. Discussions on possible funding from the Swiss Development Cooperation are ongoing. This work will be done in close coordination with the OECD within its NPD/WSS. The International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC) would be ready to also support NPD activities on transboundary water cooperation with Ukraine in the Prut River. These activities would be implemented under the EU Danube Strategy in close coordination with the Danube ICPDR Commission.
Information about meetings and events under the countries' dialogues is available on the Meetings webpage.
Tajikistan
Preparatory missions by the UNECE Secretariat took place in March and June 2010. A presentation on the EUWI NPDs was made at the High-level International Conference on the midterm comprehensive review of the implementation of the International Decade for Action "Water for Life, 2005-2015” (Dushanbe, 8-10 June 2010). The First Steering Committee meeting took place in March 2011. The main focus of the NPD is the development of the Water Sector Strategy based on IWRM principles. Transboundary water cooperation with neighbouring Kyrgyzstan, as well as Afghanistan (management of the Upper-Amu Darya Basin), is another important issue on the NPD agenda. The NPD/IWRM in Tajikistan is funded by the EC, UNECE and the German International Cooperation (GIZ). The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided an international expert who assists the Government of Tajikistan in developing a report mapping IWRM stakeholders and a roadmap.
Video interview (in Russian) with Mr. Sulton RAHIMOV, First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Melioration and Water Resources of Tajikistan, here.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Turkmenistan
A preparatory mission took place in March 2010. The NPD kick-off meeting was held in December 2010, followed by the first Steering Committee meeting in April 2011. As a part of the NPD/IWRM in Turkmenistan, an expert group is planned to be established, which will assist Turkmenistan in the adoption of the standards of the UNECE Water Convention, including IWRM principles enshrined in the Convention, on cooperation in national and transboundary contexts and in the support of its accession to – and implementation of – the Convention. In 2011, a national workshop on IWRM is planned to be organized. The NPD/IWRM in Turkmenistan is supported by funds from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EC and the GIZ.
Video interview (in Russian) with Mr. Kurbangeldy BALLYEV, Representative of Turkmenistan, and Member of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, here.
Information about meetings and events under the countries' dialogues is available on the Meetings webpage.
Ukraine
In Ukraine, the dialogue process started in late 2007. A first policy package, approved by the Steering Committee in 2008, was a plan to achieve sustainable water management, safe drinking water and adequate sanitation under the Protocol on Water and Health. The plan was implemented in 2009-2010 with financial support from Norway and in-kind contributions from Israel. The NPD/IWRM also focused on strengthening legal and institutional framework for water management with the view to tackle the challenges of climate change. Policies for sustainable flood management, based on the EU Flood Directive 2007/EC were elaborated. Two policy packages were elaborated within the NPD/IWRM, namely a draft implementation plan based on the relevant UNECE Guidance on water and adaptation to climate change and a preliminary evidence base of climate change impacts on water resources in the Dniester basin. These policy packages have facilitated the development of a pilot project on “reducing vulnerability to extreme floods and climate change in the Dniester basin”, which is now being implemented under the framework of the ENVSEC initiative by UNECE, OSCE and UNEP. The final Steering Committee meeting under the EC grant was organized in November 2010.
In 2011, the NPD/IWRM in Ukraine is funded by the IWAC. Activities will include pilot projects on economic instruments in water management, transboundary water cooperation with the Republic of Moldova and Romania on the Prut and Siret river basins and the organization of the fifth SC meeting. These activities will be implemented under the EU Danube Strategy in close coordination with the International Commission on the Protection of the Danube (ICPDR).
Uzbekistan
A joint OECD/EAP Task Force and UNECE mission to Uzbekistan was undertaken in April 2010 with a view to explore the interest of the Government of Uzbekistan to cooperate in the framework of the EUWI. The Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan expressed an interest in NPD activities on water sanitation issues related to the Protocol on Water and Health. The State Committee for Nature Protection and Uzcommunhizmat (Agency for Water Utilities Management) were also interested in cooperating. The Ministry of Agriculture and Water Sector did not express, however, interest in implementation of the NPD/IWRM. Therefore, the NPD/IWRM is implemented in 2011-2012 in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the WHO office in Uzbekistan and other relevant organizations. It focuses on issues related to the UNECE/WHO-Euro Protocol on Water and Health. The NPD/IWRM in Uzbekistan is funded by the Government of Switzerland.
Information about meetings and events under the countries' dialogues is available on the Meetings webpage.
