The Interstate Coordination Water Commission of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea held its regular, 79th meeting online on Tuesday, November 24.
The leaders of the relevant core institutions of the Central Asian countries discussed progress in addressing issues related to water management, environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea basin.
In this context, the delegation of the State Committee for Water Management of Turkmenistan emphasized the importance of national initiatives on the opening in Ashgabat of a Regional Center for Technologies related to Climate Change in Central Asia, and on the development of a special UN Programme for the Aral Sea and the UN Water Strategy.
Reports on the activities of the “Amudarya” and “Syrdarya” Basin Councils were delivered at the meeting. In addition, the water-intake quotas for the new non-growing season and the operation schedules for the reservoir cascade of transboundary rivers were agreed and adopted.
The meeting participants emphasized that water issues in Central Asia should be dealt with based on generally recognized standards of international law, with the participation of reputable organizations and taking into account a balance of interests of all parties in the region.