On September 24, 2019, at the Training Center of the National Bank of the city of Gulistan, Sughd region, with the support of the Agency Helvetas Swiss Cooperation and the German International Society in Tajikistan (GIZ), the State Enterprise “TajikNIIGiM” – the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, at a high level, held a round table on the topic “Raising the awareness of decision-makers in the implementation of mechanisms for the introduction of IWRM in the Tajik part of the Syrdarya river basin”.
The organization of the round table was aimed at building knowledge capacity on IWRM and its principles at the level of decision-makers, Chairmen of local executive authorities of the Tajik part of the Syrdarya river, experts, as well as those involved in the water sector to coordinate activities in the field of distribution and use of water resources in all sectors of the national economy.
The main goal of the round table was aimed at strengthening the managerial professionalism of stakeholders in the decision-making process relevant to all potential participants, including water management organizations, organizations for water supply and sanitation, fisheries, industry, agriculture, etc., in the name of achieving sustainable use of water resources.
The target audience
The event was attended by the deputy chairmen of local executive authorities of the districts B. Gafurov, Spitamen and J. Rasulov of the Sughd region, representatives of regional ministries and departments, including representatives of the Department of Land Reclamation and Irrigation (UMI), the Department of the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, regional divisions of the State Unitary Enterprise “KhMK”, the Main Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environmental Protection of the above areas. In addition, representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, representatives of the Swiss Agency Helvetas Swiss Cooperation and the German International Society in Tajikistan (GIZ), as well as specialists of the Working Group of the Syrdarya River Basin Organization (WG RBO) were directly involved and participated in the round table.
During the round table, the most important topics on Integrated Water Resources Management were considered and discussed in detail, including: Water and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), IWRM: History, Definition and Principles, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) , IWRM in Europe (WFD, France, Spain, Portugal, etc.), IWRM in America, IWRM in Central Asia, History of IWRM in Tajikistan, Legal framework for IWRM in Tajikistan, Reform of the water sector in Tajikistan and basin institutions and water management tools resources, IWRM: Gender and Science, Creation of Basin Institutions for IWRM in the Tajik part of the Syrdarya River Basin, and the results of the 4-day training were discussed and shown in detail (Identified problems and ways to solve them).
It should be noted that by organizing such kind of events, the platform for discussion of water problems, regulations and the possibility of cooperation in water policy is strengthened.
In general, it can be generalized that this event was mainly aimed at setting goals “Achieve sustainable development for promising socio-economic progress through equitable use of water and benefits from water resources of the river basins of Tajikistan.”