OSCE supports regional seminar in Kazakhstan on water management
ALMATY, Kazakhstan, 23 September 2015 – An OSCE-supported training seminar on water governance aimed at promoting regional co-operation through the exchange of knowledge and experience began today in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The three-day event was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana with Kazakh-German University and the Foreign Ministries of Germany and Kazakhstan. It brought together some 20 young specialists from all Central Asian countries and Afghanistan who will learn from experts from the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), about the best international practices and identify ways to incorporate them into national water management sectors in the region.
“Each of us understands that water co-operation in Central Asia goes far beyond purely technical and scientific co-operation,” said Dudar Zhakenov, Political Advisor at Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry. “This is one of the main tools in the fight against poverty and climate change, a factor of stabilization for social and economic development of our countries.”
Rati Japaridze, Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, said: “The OSCE attaches great importance to supporting young professionals in reaching their full potential so that they could generate innovative and creative solutions for addressing local, national and regional challenges”
Participants will exchange views on integrated water resources management as it relates to international law on trans-boundary water resources, as well as discuss the role of young professionals in enhancing water governance in the region, in particular through establishing the Central Asian Youth Water Parliament. They will also address the issues of climate change impact on water resources, data and information management in the regional water sector, regional agreements on water management and national legislations on water resources management.
The seminar is part of the Office’s long-standing efforts to promote regional co-operation in water resources management and is in line with the OSCE Chairmanship’s priority of fostering the increased participation of youth in decision-making processes.