On September 20, 2022, the 3rd Coordination Meeting of the IFAS Executive Committee with international development partners took place in Tashkent, the Republic of Uzbekistan.
During the meeting, the progress of the implementation of the “Aral Sea Basin Program” (ASBP-4), the progress made in improving the organizational structure and legal framework of IFAS, the Work Plan of the EC IFAS on Cooperation with International Development Partners for 2023 in solving water and environmental issues, as well as further development of regional cooperation within the framework of IFAS, taking into account the extension of the chairmanship of the Republic of Tajikistan.
ASBP-4 was approved on June 29, 2021, by the Decision of the IFAS Board and was entrusted to the Executive Committee of IFAS together with the Interstate Coordinating Water Commission and the Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development to ensure its implementation.
ASBP-4 includes a number of projects, including investment ones, that contribute to the achievement of water, environmental, food and energy security in Central Asia. It is also aimed at the implementation of joint actions and promising programs to overcome the Aral Sea crisis and strengthen regional cooperation through targeted actions at the national, regional and international levels.
The coordination meeting of the Executive Committee of IFAS with international development partners was organized with the support of the #CAWEP Program of the World Bank.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Governments of Central Asian countries, including Mr. Juma Daler Shofakir, Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mr. Shavkat Khamraev, Minister of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Serikali Mukatayev, Vice Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr.N. PASHSHYEV YANOV, Head of the Water Use Department of the State Committee of Water Management of Turkmenistan, Mr. Dzhaylobaev Abdibay Shakirbaevich, Deputy Director of the Water Resources Service under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic, Representatives of development partners Mr. André Carstens, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Ulyam Yang, Leading Specialist in water resources management, the World Bank and others.
As a result of the meeting, the participants once again expressed their commitment to further support the implementation of the ASBP-4 and noted the importance of the Executive Committee of IFAS coordination platform with development partners, providing information exchange and coordination between development partners and Central Asian governments in the implementation and monitoring of projects and programs in the region.
