90th Meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination

The 90th meeting of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) was held as part of Kazakhstan's presidency of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS). The meeting took place on August 14 in the city of Borovoye, bringing together the heads of water authorities from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as a representative from Kyrgyzstan as an observer. Turkmenistan participated in the meeting online, represented by the Chairman of the State Committee for Water Management, Durdy Genjiyev.

The ICWC is a structural unit of IFAS, along with the Interstate Commission for Sustainable Development (ICSD) and the Scientific Information Center, both of which are based in Ashgabat. The main task of the ICWC is the interstate allocation of water resources for the agricultural needs of the countries in the region. The commission's meetings are held twice a year, before the start of the growing season, to determine water intake quotas. If necessary, additional meetings can be organized to address local issues.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the ICWC's executive bodies: the Basin Water Organizations "Amudarya" and "Syrdarya," the Scientific Information Center, as well as the Secretariat and the Executive Committee of IFAS.

It is important to note that from 2017 to 2019, during Turkmenistan's presidency of IFAS, the Fund's Executive Committee operated in Ashgabat and coordinated all regional activities. During this period, Turkmenistan played a key role in preparing the Action Program for Assistance to the Aral Sea Basin Countries (ASBP-4) and the Regional Environmental Program for Sustainable Development in Central Asia. Both programs are currently being implemented.

The agenda for the 90th meeting included key issues concerning the use of water limits and the operation of reservoirs for 2025. Participants discussed the progress of tasks set at the summits of the heads of state—founders of IFAS, held in Turkmenbashi (2018) and Dushanbe (2023). Information was also presented on efforts to improve the organizational structure and legal framework of IFAS.

Following the meeting, a protocol with the adopted decisions was signed. According to the document, the next, 91st meeting of the ICWC, is scheduled to be held in Turkmenistan. The event also included presentations by representatives of international organizations on initiatives for water security and the outcomes of specialized meetings.

Source: International Information Center of Turkmenistan