Special Envoy of Switzerland on water Wilhelm Meyer has visited the head office of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) on April 2, 2015.
Ambassador’s main mission was to be introduced with an overall situation about water interventions that are going on in Central Asia. It is expected that his mission report will reflect critical issues, challenges, and recommendations for improvement.
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, SDC in headquarter (Bern) primarily sees strengthening capacity of IFAS and liaison with high-level policy makers as one of the key pillars towards water cooperation at the regional level. Meyer highlighted the recent meeting in Basel, with participation of water vice-ministers from all five CA countries.
Contribution of CAREC to minimize the water issues is well recognized. He particularly mentioned the work on capacity building and education as well as activities on the ground on small watersheds of transboundary rivers.
Suggestion of CAREC to contribute to priorities of SDC to work with IFAS included: (i) existing MoUs and type of cooperation, (ii) upcoming meeting of regional organizations, which CAREC initiates and is expected to facilitate, will add extra value to explore opportunities for synergies, (iii) share CAREC’s lessons learned to work at the local level (small watershed transboudary rivers) and suggestion to upscale them up to large rivers.
In addition to above, CAREC is ready to contribute to the SDC’s agenda on water cooperation in the region, including water quality, transboundary cooperation, capacity building and education, replication of best practices and knowledge, etc.