On October 16, 2024, a roundtable was held, organized by the USAID Central Asia’s Regional Water and Vulnerable Environment Activity (WAVE) in collaboration with the State Committee on Water Management of Turkmenistan. The main topic of the meeting was the discussion of the Roadmap for the establishment of Basin Councils (BC) in Turkmenistan, with the goal of further introducing the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
The roundtable was attended by representatives of the State Committee on Water Management of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen State Scientific-Production and Design Water Management Institute “Turkmensuwylymtaslama,” the “Marysuvkhodjalyk” and “Garagumderyasuvkhodjalyk” associations, international organizations, as well as the WAVE project team.
The meeting focused on the possibilities of introducing the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), which aim to ensure the efficient use of water, considering the needs of various sectors and the preservation of ecosystems. Anna Vladimirova, IWRM Lead of the USAID Central Asia’s Regional Water and Vulnerable Environment Activity, presented an overview of successful examples of Basin Councils in other Central Asian countries. The national expert of the project, Georgy Kurtovezov, presented the Roadmap for the establishment of Basin Councils in Turkmenistan.
One of the key topics discussed was the attraction of donors to finance activities related to water resource management in the country’s major river basins. Participants highlighted the importance of international support for the successful implementation of the proposed initiatives, especially in the context of climate change and the reduction of water resources in the region.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of the next steps and plans for implementing the proposed initiatives, as well as a summary of the event’s outcomes. ///nCa, 16 October 2024 (Material is provided by the USAID Regional Water and Vulnerable Environment Activity)