Context
Central Asia is a region with scarce water resources, and is particularly hard hit by the effects of global climate change and the chronic overuse of its existing reserves. At the same time, the economies of the five Central Asian states are closely interconnected due to their shared use of the waters of the two major rivers, Syr Darya and Amu Darya, and of other transboundary rivers.
Lacking alternatives, the water-rich countries on the upper reaches of the rivers (Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) rely heavily on hydropower for energy production in winter, while the downstream countries (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) use water mainly to irrigate agricultural land in the summer. This situation is becoming difficult because of inappropriate water management practices on the part of the users. The environmental disaster of the Aral Sea is emblematic of the precarious water situation in the region. Scarcity of resources, inappropriate management and disparate interests are all factors that make the distribution of water in Central Asia into a major source of potential tensions.
As part of the Central Asia Water Initiative (‘Berlin Process’) of the German Federal Foreign Office (AA), and with partial co-financing from the European Union (EU), GIZ is supporting the Central Asian states in establishing sustainable regional water management structures. Moreover, in partnership with the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) GIZ is also implementing two EU measures as part of the EU Regional Environmental Programme for Central Asia (EURECA).
Objectives
The Central Asian states are collectively developing practical approaches to sustainable regional water management and implementing related measures.
Approach
The GIZ programme is supporting the relevant regional, national and local institutions in the collective development of practical approaches to sustainable water management, and advising them on various topics, such as the formulation of legal provisions and guidelines for water management.
The staff of water management organisations in the transboundary river basins attend courses on river basin planning and management. To ensure broad participation at all levels, stakeholder dialogues and policy meetings are held on a regular basis. Information materials on basin planning are being developed and disseminated in the region, and networking activities involving European and Central Asian water management organisations promotes the exchange of best practices between water specialists of both regions.
These activities are complemented by a number of pilot projects which demonstrate as clearly as possible the potential benefits of improved water use. These range from the restoration of safety systems on small dams, to the introduction of water saving technologies and the reconstruction of traditional water supply systems.
Results achieved so far
In cooperation with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and representatives of all five Central Asian states, the programme has developed proposals for ways of strengthening the institutional capacity of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (EC IFAS).
In an inclusive and comprehensive project, EC IFAS and the five states, as well as GIZ, UNECE and other representatives of the international donor community have collectively devised a scheme to improve water management across the Aral Sea Basin. This was the Third Aral Sea Basin Programme, which has since been approved by all five states. Building on this success, the reform process is now being pushed forward in order to consolidate the existing institutional capacities.
Successfully completed pilot projects in all five countries have helped optimise water use, and have thus contributed to improved living conditions in the region.