Protection of the Aral-Syrdarya Water Basin focus of OSCE-supported training seminar in Kazakhstan

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana is supporting a training seminar and a regular meeting of the Aral-Syrdariya Water Basin Council which began in Kyzyl-Orda, Southern Kazakhstan on 27 June 2017.
The OSCE Programme Office in Astana co-organized the three-day event in partnership with the International Fund for saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) for some 70 water experts of the Aral-Syrdarya Water Basin Council, local authorities, government officials, the business community and civil society organizations. Participants shared their experiences in addressing water pollution and reviewed water quality standards and discussed challenges in co-operation among the stakeholders.
“The poor quality and decreased quantity of water resources may be a serious threat to the security of the country andthe region as a whole,” said Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana György Szabó,.“In this regard the OSCE attaches a great importance to building the capacity and promoting a dialogue among the stakeholders to ensure sustainable supply and use of water resources”.
Amirkhan Kenshimov, IDeputy Head of the IFAS Kazakhstan Office, said: "Today’s event is an important communication tool for the stakeholders of the Aral-Syrdarya Water Basin Council. Both the Basin Council meeting and follow-up training course are an important platform for dialogue, capacity building and co-operation in the field of water management at the local and national level.”
The activity is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to introduce the principles of integrated water resources management into the national water framework. The project follows the commitments underlined in the Memorandum of Understanding between the International Fund and the OSCE Programme Office in 2010.