UN SEMINAR EXPLORES WATER MANAGEMENT IN CENTRAL ASIA

A United Nations gathering underway in the Kazakh city, Almaty, has drawn dozens of experts and representatives of Central Asian nations to examine how to boost water management in the region.

Organized by the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), the three-day seminar will examine existing UN conventions in the area of water and environment, including the UN Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

The event, which began yesterday, will also review best practices in negotiating cooperative transboundary water agreements.

"This practical knowledge will come very handy for experts from Central Asian countries who are involved in a search for a long-term sustainable negotiated solution to the problems with water and associated resource management issues in the region," Miroslav Jenca, the Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of UNRCCA, said in opening marks this morning.

He expressed hope that the gathering will help the region's nations "reach sustainable and mutually beneficial arrangements in the area of water and energy."

The UNRCCA, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, was set up in 2007 to help the countries of the region respond more proactively to cross-border challenges and threats, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime and environmental degradation, before they become costlier and more difficult to control.

According to the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), the centre is tasked with assisting Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan "in building capacities to peacefully prevent conflict, in facilitating dialogue, and in catalyzing international support behind projects and initiatives."
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GLOBAL CRISES, ENERGY, AFGHANISTAN TOP AGENDA AT UN-ORGANIZED CENTRAL ASIA FORUM

GLOBAL CRISES, ENERGY, AFGHANISTAN TOP AGENDA AT UN-ORGANIZED CENTRAL ASIA FORUM
New York, Mar 13 2009 7:01PM

The impact of the global financial crisis, problems concerning water and energy supplies and developments in Afghanistan were high on the agenda at a United Nations-organized seminar that brought Central Asian nations together to address current challenges.

The meeting was organized by the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), established in 2007 to help the countries of the region – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – respond more proactively to cross-border challenges and threats, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime and environmental degradation, before they become costlier and more difficult to control.

The two-day meeting, which began on 10 March, brought together government officials, experts and academics, among others, to the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, for what a senior UN official called a "necessary and timely" gathering amid important developments in the world and in the region.

"The participants acknowledged that an individual approach is not a viable solution, that it is important to find shared solutions," Miroslav Jenca, the Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of UNRCCA, told the UN News Centre.

The need to work together in facing challenges was especially underscored in the context of dealing with the ongoing economic and financial crisis. Mr. Jenca noted that some countries might be tempted to find solutions taking into account their national interests only, and not considering the interests of the whole region.

Participants at the meeting, which also included representatives from Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Germany, Iran, Turkey, Russia, France, Slovakia and the United States, recognized this as a "dangerous tendency," he said, and they agreed that regional cooperation was vital in order to find viable solutions.

The impact of the global economic downturn has been felt in the region, especially in countries such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that are more integrated in the global economy, Mr. Jenca pointed out, while adding that "none of the countries in the region are immune against the crisis."

The effects have included the devaluation of national currencies and a curtailing of projects due to lack of funding. The downturn has also affected labour migration, with migrants being unable to find enough jobs in other countries, or if they can find jobs, they are being paid less, all of which lead to a decrease in remittances, he said.

In addition, problems related to water management and energy supplies are a major challenge for the region, which as a whole has enough water and enough energy. "The problem is how to find agreement among the five countries in order to use these resources for the benefit of all countries in the region," stated Mr. Jenca, who took up his post last June.

The Regional Centre is particularly active in the area of water and energy, which is one of its priority areas. At the same time, the Special Representative noted that the UN's role is to assist countries, not replace governments.

"The role of the leadership of the countries is extremely important in order to ensure sustainable development, and they bear primary responsibility for socio-economic development and also for addressing the crisis," he stated.
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