Astana, Kazakhstan – The Seventh Meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council for the National Dialogue on Water Policy (NPD) in Kazakhstan took place under the chairmanship of Mr Serikaly Mukataev, Vice Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
NPD is a platform for discussing the most pressing issues of the integrated use of water resources and search of agreed solutions. It has been operating in Kazakhstan since 2013 with the support of the European Union (EU), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The composition of the Interagency Coordination Council, the NPD governing body, has recently been updated and includes representatives of all stakeholders in the national authorities, business, research institutes, public and international organizations.
Addressing the participants, Mr Serikaly Mukataev noted: “Acute water problems of the country, such as the growing shortage and irrational use of water resources, pollution of surface and groundwater, depletion of water resources, climate change and problems of interstate water allocation require the development and application of coordinated measures. The National Policy Dialogue on Water, which has been held in our country for almost 10 years, provides a platform for discussing the most pressing issues of rational use of water resources in Kazakhstan and proposing suitable solutions.”
Mr Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, in his welcoming remarks reiterated the EU support: “I would like to reaffirm the European Union’s commitment to continue supporting Kazakhstan in water policy development and implementation and mobilising much needed investments to the sector.”
At the meeting, the participants discussed the issues of protection and use of groundwaters, water and sanitation, pollution (including emergency pollution) in the Syr Darya River, transboundary cooperation, and the results of the work of international partners.
Background: The EU-funded project “European Union Water Initiative National Policy Dialogues (NPDs) in Central Asia” (September 2019 – April 2023), implemented by UNECE in cooperation with OECD, aims to enhance integrated water resources management and inter-sectoral coordination for water security at the national level in Central Asian countries to support sustainable development. The project is implemented as part of the EU-funded project “European Union – Central Asia Water, Environment and Climate Change Cooperation” (WECOOP).
For additional information, please contact Mr Alexander Belokurov, Environmental Affairs Officer, UNECE, email: alexander.belokurov@un.org, Mrs Nurgul Smagulova-Dulic, Digital Communication Expert, WECOOP, email: nurgul.smagulova@wecoop.eu, WhatsApp: +77012066760, or the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan: delegation-kazakhstan-pic@eeas.europa.eu.
https://www.unece.org/env/water/npd.html; https://wecoop.eu/