UNRCCA held Seminar on International Water Conflicts and Settlement Principles
Ashgabat-based UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia held a seminar on "International Water Conflicts: Principles and Means of Dispute Resolution" in Dushanbe on 18-19 October in cooperation with the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) and under financial support of the US government.
This event was the fourth in a series of seminars devoted to water diplomacy and organized under the program "Ensuring Equitable Utilization and Effective Management of Transboundary Watercourses in Central Asia through International Diplomacy, Law and Institutions: Theory and Practical Solutions".
The training in Tajikistan’s capital was attended by representatives of relevant ministries and departments, members of the parliaments of Central Asia and Afghanistan, specialized UN agencies, international and regional organizations, as well as independent experts.
The meeting discussed the prospects of further development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of water resources management in the Central Asian region through legal regulation and rational operation of transboundary rivers.
Water resources have always been considered the basis of the economy and a favorable ecological situation, that is the determining factor of social welfare. Over the past half century on the ground of water use and access different parts of the world have witnessed over 500 conflict situations and about 40 mutual claims.
The nations of Central Asia share the common water reserves of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, with most of the runoff being formed in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan, while Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are the main consumers.
Water issues in the region are closely linked with the other two adjacent sectors - agriculture and power generation. The overall prosperity of the region and prospects for economic integration depend on the success of the settlement of issues of joint water use.
