BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN – A workshop to introduce the experience of the Chu Talas Water Commission (CTWC) was held on June 11-14, 2019 within the Blue Peace Central Asia project, being implemented by CAREC with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The workshop was attended by representatives of water management organizations of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Department of Water Management and Land Reclamation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Industry and Land Reclamation of Kyrgyzstan, regional basin administrations of water management, district water administrations, representatives of donor organizations and CAREC.
The purpose of the workshop was to get representatives of water organizations of Osh and Andijan oblasts familiarized with activities and functions of the Chu-Talas Water Commission established between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as an example of successful transboundary water cooperation.
During the first day of the workshop, the participants presented and discussed the activities of CTWC with regard to shared use of water facilities on the Chu and Talas rivers and its Secretariat’s work, and use of modern technologies in the transboundary water management, including remote sensing and smart water metering systems. Furthermore, the specialists of the Chu basin water management department have conducted an introductory tour to the Alamedin Aqueduct, and told about the work done in the Chu river basin.
The second day of the seminar was devoted to developing a common vision and a future cooperation roadmap between the Kyrgyz and Uzbek sides. The participants discussed priority topics that could lay the groundwork for launching new projects in the Osh and Andijan oblasts of the Fergana Valley with the support of development partners. Among others, participants put particular emphasis on the importance of such issues as compliance with schedule water distribution of small transboundary rivers, small transboundary canal water management, early warning for disaster risk reduction, establishing knowledge and information platforms, infrastructure repair and restoration work including acquisition of equipment, and conducting joint training and learning seminars.
The event became an important step to foster even closer bilateral cooperation between water organizations of Osh and Andijan, as it demonstrated that transboundary water cooperation is important and needs to be revived.