OSCE-sponsored conference in Kyrgyzstan stresses importance of Water User Associations for fair water distribution

OSH, Kyrgyzstan, 13 January 2011 – Water User Associations (WUAs) need to be better integrated into the system of local self-governance to ensure fair and efficient distribution of irrigation water, participantsagreed at an OSCE-sponsored conference that took place in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh today. 

“Water User Associations promote efficient management of water. By doing so, they build bridges between ethnic communities and even across international borders and thus play an important role in conflict prevention,” said Hugo Karlsson, the Head of the OSCE Centre’s field office in Osh. “The OSCE Centre as part of its assistance to the south of Kyrgyzstan is expanding its support to local self-governance structures in their efforts to address unequal distribution and improper use of scarce resources, such as water and land.” 

Abdybaly Kadyrbekov, responsible for supporting Water User Associations of Kyrgyzstan’s watermanagement and melioration Committeeadded: “Water resources are key to the economies of Kyrgyzstan and other countries of the region. The prosperity of our farmers and of the whole country depends on the rational management and usage of these resources. This is an important idem on today’s conference’s agenda”. 

The results of an OSCE-commissioned survey on the performance of WUAs in the south of the country were presented at the conference. According to the report, the WUAs are an effective tool to collectively deal with irrigation problems at the grassroots level. The report also recommends that their capacity be strengthened. To achieve this, staff of selected WUAs and local self-governance bodies will be trained as a part of the OSCE Centre’s support to Kyrgyzstan.