Activities
Project “Regional dialogue and cooperation on water resources management”: Central Asia
The meeting brought together national representatives of Central Asian countries to EC IFAS, representatives of international organizations (European Commission, UNECE, UNDP, United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia) and donors (GTZ, USAID, Swiss Development Cooperation, World Bank and Eurasian Development Bank).
Donors and representatives of international organizations expressed their readiness to cooperate with EC IFAS in the development of ASBP-3. They stressed that the priority directions of ASBP-3 developed by EC IFAS may be clarified and finalized during the actual drafting of the Programme. Also, the need for clear linkages between the four priority directions of ASBP-3 was emphasized. It was proposed to supplement the four priority directions of ASBP-3 with a “shared vision” or “common goal” of the Programme. Representatives of international organizations and donors pointed out at the link between ASBP-3 development and the work on the strengthening of institutional and legal frameworks for regional cooperation.
National representatives of Central Asian countries to EC IFAS stressed their vision of ASBP-3 as a “common” programme with donors. National representatives confirmed that the development of ASBP-3 is strongly supported at the highest political level in Central Asian countries. States of Central Asia are committed to allocate national funding for ASBP-3 projects. Also, participants discussed the issue of including existing and planned donor activities in ASBP-3.
Participants supported the need of establishing a donors’ coordination group under EC IFAS for the development of ASBP-3. In response to the request from EC IFAS on the need for expert support in development of ASBP-3, donors agreed to consider allocating experts to EC IFAS. In addition, representatives of international and donor organizations agreed to nominate focal points for cooperation with EC IFAS.
Consultative meeting with international organizations and donors on the development of ASBP-3,
Almaty, Kazakhstan, 3 February 2010
Consultative meeting of the Executive Committee of IFAS with international organizations and donors on the development of Third Aral Sea Basin Programme (ASBP-3) took place in Almaty on 3 February 2010. The meeting brought together the national representatives of Central Asian States in the Executive Committee of IFAS, representatives of international organizations (European Commission, UNDP Europe and CIS, UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia, UN Economic Commission for Europe) and donors (World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Eurasian Development Bank, and Transboundary Water Management Programme of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)). The meting was organized by the Executive Committee of IFAS and facilitated by UNECE in the framework of the Project «Regional Dialogue and Cooperation on Water Resources Management in Central Asia».
Representatives of donors and international organizations were briefed about the outcomes of the First Meeting of the Working Group on Institutional and Legal Strengthening of IFAS and the Development of ASBP-3, which took place on 10-11 December 2009 in Almaty. They were also informed about the upcoming national consultations in five Central Asian countries concerning the strengthening of institutional and legal frameworks and the ASBP-3 development process.
Participants discussed the Framework Document on ASBP-3 developed by the Executive Committee of IFAS. They also addressed opportunities for organization of additional meetings of Central Asian experts to develop specific priority areas of ASBP-3. The UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia informed about the upcoming visit of the UN Secretary General to Central Asia in April 2010. Management of water and energy resources and efforts to improve the situation in the Aral Sea region will be important issues on the agenda of this visit.
Workshop for representatives of international and donor organizations on the development of ASBP-3, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 17 March 2010
The workshop of the Executive Committee of IFAS for representatives in international and donor organizations devoted to the development of Third Aral Sea Basin Programme (ASBP-3) took place in Almaty on 17 March 2010. It brought together the national representatives of Central Asian countries in the Executive Committee of IFAS, representatives of international organizations (European Commission, UNDP Europe and CIS, UN Economic Commission for Europe) and donors (Swiss Development Cooperation, World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)), as well as experts provided by the European Commission. The meting was organized by the Executive Committee of IFAS and facilitated by UNECE in the framework of the Project «Regional Dialogue and Cooperation on Water Resources Management in Central Asia».
The Executive Committee of IFAS informed the participants on the consultations that had taken place in the countries of Central Asia to discuss the development of ASBP-3 and the Discussion Paper "Strengthening the Institutional and Legal Frameworks of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea: Review and Proposals". Donor representatives stressed the importance of the work on institutional and legal strengthening of regional cooperation, along with the development of ASBP-3. Also, the donors highlighted the need for a stable institutional mechanism for development and implementation of ASBP-3 as well as the need for a clear vision by the Executive Committee of IFAS on this issue. The donors stressed their openness to cooperation and highlighted possible areas for funding. Participants also discussed preparatory steps to the Donors’ Coordination Meeting in May 2010.
Donors' Coordination Meeting, 21 May 2010, Almaty, Kazakhstan
The Donors’ Coordination Meeting on May 21, 2010 in Almaty strengthened cooperation between EC IFAS, the community of donors and international organizations active in the region of Central Asia and in the areas of environment and sustainable development and encouraged their participation in the development of ASBP-3. The meeting followed extensive work with donor and international organisations, in particular the Consultative meeting with international organizations and donors on the development of ASBP-3 (Almaty, Kazakhstan, 17 November 2009), the Consultative meeting with international organisations and donors on the development of ASBP-3 (Almaty, 3 February 2010), and the Workshop of the Executive Committee of IFAS and representatives of international and donor organizations (Almaty, 17 March 2010).
Agenda |
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Background paper "Third Aral Sea Basin Programme: Building Cooperation for the Future" |
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UNECE Opening Statement |
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Report |
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List of participants |
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Donors Coordination Conference on the Third Aral Sea Basin Programme, 9 December 2010, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Some 50 representatives of donors and international organizations, as well as representatives of Central Asian countries and regional organizations in the IFAS system participated in the Donor Coordination Conference of the Third Aral Sea Basin Programme, which took place on 9 December 2010 in Almaty.
A Statement by the Donors and Implementing Agencies on the Occasion of the Presentation of the Third Aral Sea Basin Program was delivered at the Conference. The Statement emphasized that donors fully supported the Program and were ready to work together with the Executive Committee of IFAS and the Governments of IFAS member states in its implementation. Also, the Statement stressed that the Executive Committee of IFAS had an important role to play in ASBP-3, as the platform for dialogue and coordination among Central Asian countries on water management issues; however the institutional structure and legal basis of the Executive Committee of IFAS should be strengthened. The Statement underlined that donor coordination should be raised to a new level and a regular joint process for reviewing ASBP-3 implementation should be established. These messages were further delivered to the IFAS Board during the High-level meeting of the IFAS Board and donors on 15 December 2010.
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Statement on the 4th component of ASBP-3, by Mr. Bo Libert, UNECE Regional Adviser on Environment |
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Statement by the Donors and Implementing Agencies on the Occasion of the Presentation of the Third Aral Sea Basin Program (ASBP-3) |
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List of participants |
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Joint High-level Meeting of Donors and IFAS Board on the Third Aral Sea Basin Program, 15 December 2010, Almaty, Kazakhstan
On 15 December 2010 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the High-level Meeting on the Third Aral Sea Basin Program brought together the members of the Board of the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea from all five Central Asian States and the representatives of the donors and international organizations. The High-level Meeting was held back-to-back with the meeting of the IFAS Board. Donors had an opportunity to deliver to members of the IFAS Board their position on the draft Aral Sea Basin Programme as expressed in their Statement of 9 December 2010. IFAS Board subsequently welcomed the ASBP-3 and forwarded it to the capitals for approval by Central Asian States by 1 March 2011.
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Statement by Mr. Andrey Vasilyev, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UNECE |
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Press release “Central Asian States finalize the Third Aral Sea Basin Program” |
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