Section 6
United Nations and its Specialized Agencies
6.5. The UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund (MPHSTF) for the Aral Sea region
On 27 November 2018, the UN Headquarters in New York hosted a High-Level Event on the launch of the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region in Uzbekistan (MPHSTF).
A Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in Meeting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Uzbekistan was signed between the Global Green Growth Institute and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Uzbekistan (March 30) (in the context of the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework) by actively seeking solutions to human security issues in the Aral Sea region through the MPHSTF. The Parties aim to make progress on recovery and resilience to climate change in the post-pandemic COVID-19 era in key sectoral areas of common interest.
The Government of Uzbekistan made its fourth contribution of $1.5 million to support the activities of MPHSTF. Under the Third Call for Proposals, the MPHSTF Steering Committee approved $4.4 million in financing for two new projects addressing such priority areas as youth employment and innovation, health, and green growth (November 16).
Ongoing projects. The MPHSTF finances the UNDP/UNESCO Joint Program aimed to enhance the technical capacity of Forestry Department of the Takhtakupir district through the trainings on "Innovative methods of afforestation", etc., as well as to increase the scope of afforestation work in the dried bed of the Aral Sea. Enhanced technical capacity helped to plant saxaul and other species on 3 thousand ha of land that was 6 times more than in previous project interventions. The afforestation resulted in more income for the staff of the Forestry Department.
The following projects were continued: (1) “Towards universal health coverage and security in Karakalpakstan” (2021-2023) to assess the health system. The local population has been consulted on its health needs and vision for health sector investment; a refined proposal for health sector investment in Muynak city and surrounding region was developed; (2) “Unleashing young people’s and vulnerable citizens’ creativity and innovation by strengthening their adaptive capacity to address the economic and food insecurities in the exposed communities of the Aral Sea region” (2021-2023). 30 vulnerable unemployed women and girls from target districts were trained in cooking, 30 young people were trained in plumber skills; 13 projects were selected to start an individual or family business. Trainings in livestock and water saving technologies were conducted with a total of 75 beneficiaries, including a workshop on "Benefits and the effectiveness of innovative technologies "Buried Diffuser" (subsoil irrigation) in the cultivation of crops" on the created demonstration site in the territory of the International Innovation Center of the Aral Sea Region under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (October). Access to clean drinking water was provided to the Kungrad central republican hospital, polyclinic and two schools with a total number of 7208 beneficiaries. The Project’s Coordinating Council discussed at the 3rd meeting progress, results for 2022 and prospects for future cooperation (December 15); (3) “Investing in a resilient future of Karkalpakstan by improving health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygience and wellbeing of adolescents and by harnessing the talents of youth during and after COVID-19” (2021-2022, (Muynak, Kungrad, and Bozatau districts). 30 facilitators were trained to enhance the capacity of the public education specialists of the Ministry of Public Education in Karakalpakstan. UNICEF is in the process of developing a knowledge hub (https://bilim.tma.uz/) which will serve as a one-stop digital platform for communication, information sharing and repository of all training materials and resources on health topics for healthcare workers in the country.
Source: www.aral.mptf.uz
6.6. UN-Water
In 2003, the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination established the inter-agency coordination mechanism UN-Water. It coordinates the efforts of UN entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues. Over 30 UN organizations carry out water and sanitation programs.
Activities in 2022
The following events were organized: (1) the UN-Water integrated monitoring initiative for SDG 6 Steering Committee meeting to review the 2021 results and plan for the 2022 (March 2-3); (2) the 36th UN-Water meeting to discuss the preparation to the UN 2023 Water Conference, the Global Acceleration Framework for SDG 6 (April 7-8, Geneva, Switzerland); (3) the 37th UN-Water meeting to discuss preparation to the UN 2023 Water Conference, the SDG 6 capacity development initiative, SDG6 global monitoring ( December 5-6, Paris, France); (4) UN-Water summit on groundwater (December 7-8, Paris, France).
The latest edition of the UN World Water Development Report "Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible" draws attention to the issues related to groundwater, emphasizing their special role, challenges and opportunities associated with the development, management and governance of groundwater across the world.
Source: www.unwater.org
6.7. UN Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is one of five regional commissions of the United Nations set up in 1947. Its main scope of work includes environment, transport, statistics, sustainable energy, trade, wood products and forests, housing and land use, population and economic cooperation and integration.
UNECE and Water Convention, as well as the Protocol on Water and Health
UNECE is hosting the Secretariat of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) and is providing the secretariat for the Protocol on Water and Health together with WHO/Europe. In 2022, the Water Convention was working on implementation of its Program of Work for the period 2022-2024 and the Protocol was preparing to its sixth session of the Meeting of the Parties (Geneva, 16-18 November 2022). In 2022 Kazakhstan was a Vice-Chair of the Bureau of the Water Convention.
Activities in 2022
Under the Water Convention and the Protocol on Water and Health, UNECE organized: (1) 27th and 28th meetings of the Bureau of the Protocol on Water and Health (February 2-3; May 17-18); (2) 6th meeting of the Global Network of Basins working on climate change adaptation (April 25); (3) 13th meeting of the Working Group on Water and Health (May 19-20); (4) Regional workshop on equitable access to water and sanitation (June 13-14); (5) 4th joint meeting of Working Group on IWRM and Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment, marking the 30th anniversary of the Water Convention (June 28-30); (6) 21st meeting of the Joint Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents (October 6); (7) Global workshop on water, agriculture and climate change (October 17-18); (8) 13th meeting of the Task Force on Water and Climate (October 19); (9) 33rd meeting of the Bureau to the Water Convention (October 20-21); (10) the 6th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Water and Health (November 16-18); (11) 7th meeting of the Task Force on the Water-Food Energy Ecosystems Nexus (December 12-13); (12) Global workshop on source-to-sea management (December 14-16). Details
UNECE Activities in Central Asia
Transboundary cooperation In 2022 UNECE continued to support the Secretariat of the Chu-Talas Commission and was in close contact with UNDP regarding the process of signing of the joint statement on the SAP. In particular, UNECE provided guidance and advice through several transboundary and national discussions. Consequently, the joint statement on SAP was endorsed by Kyrgyzstan in October 2022 and is in the process of endorsement by Kazakhstan.
Results of past projects are available on here and here
National Policy Dialogues on Water (NPDs). Since 2019 the NPD process in Central Asian countries has been supported through a regional NPD project, implemented by UNECE in cooperation with OECD, as part of the WECOOP program which supports the EU-Central Asia Working Group on Environment and Climate Change (WGECC).
NPD launch in Uzbekistan. The First Steering Committee meeting of the National Policy Dialogue (NPD) on Integrated Water Resources Management took place in hybrid format on 27 September. Key stakeholders, including national experts from Uzbekistan, representatives of the EU, international and regional organizations, and NGOs attended this event. The participants discussed Uzbekistan’s achievements, challenges and priorities related to the water policy and agreed on a way forward for the NPD implementation. The meeting launched the National Water Policy Dialogue in Uzbekistan.
NPD in Kazakhstan. The 7th Meeting of the Interagency Coordination Council for the National Dialogue on Water Policy (NPD) in Kazakhstan took place on 14 December. The composition of the Interagency Coordination Council, the NPD governing body, has recently been updated and includes representatives of all stakeholders in the national authorities, business, research institutes, public and international organizations. At the meeting, the participants discussed the issues of protection and use of groundwaters, water and sanitation, pollution (including emergency pollution) in the Syr Darya River, transboundary cooperation, and the results of the work of international partners.
SPECA program. The 25th Session of the Working Group on Water, Energy and Environment of the United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA WG on WEE) was held online on 15 November in the framework of the 2nd Almaty Energy Forum, co-organized by UNECE and ESCAP and hosted by the Government of Kazakhstan. The Working Group discussed ongoing initiatives supported by the EU, GIZ, USAID, UNDP, OECD, ADB, UNECE, and UNESCAP, to foster the integration of water, energy, food and environmental sectoral policies and actions in SPECA countries.
Project “Regional mechanisms for the low-carbon, climate-resilient transformation of the energy-water-land Nexus in Central Asia”, funded by Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI) from the German Federal Ministry for Environment. In partnership with OECD, SIC ICWC, EBRD and FAO, UNECE will implement a project funded by IKI to improve the management of water, energy, land, and environmental resources in Central Asia in the face of climate change, through analytical work and support to policy development and cooperation. The five years project, which is expected to start in 2023, will include activities at regional and national level in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The project has three main objectives: to mainstream the nexus principles into development planning process, to finance pilot projects to demonstrate benefits of investments in the “nexus”, and to organize regional policy dialogues and facilitate capacity development. In particular, the UNECE will provide substantive input on nexus and transboundary cooperation, and brings political convening power to the consortium. The project will deliver a regional strategy and related national policy packages. The regional and country level dialogues, supported respectively by meetings of SPECA and National Policy Dialogues (NPDs) on Integrated Water resources Management.
Source: UNECE
International Water Assessment Center
The International Water Assessment Center (IWAC) is the center for international cooperation on integrated water resource management, which has been established as a subsidiary body of the Water Convention in Astana in 2017. The main purpose of IWAC is to support the implementation of the Water Convention and its relevant work programs.
Activities in 2022
IWAC in cooperation with the UNECE continued implementing the project "Development of joint measures to prevent and respond to pollution of the Syr Darya River in emergency situations". 2nd working meeting of experts was held online to present the collected information and identify further actions on the project (January 19).
IWAC organized the regional workshop “International experience related to transboundary water allocation and prospects for the development of cooperation on the joint use of water resources in Central Asia”, where general approaches to application of international experience in transboundary water allocation and development of cooperation on the joint use of water resources in Central Asia were discussed (November 2-3, Astana, Kazakhstan).
Also, IWAC organized a series of trainings on the safety of hydraulic structures in CA: (1) 2nd International Training Workshop to assist in studying the best practices in management of hydrotechnical structures, the exchange of knowledge and experience in ensuring safety, improving cooperation on water resources management in Central Asia (September 27-29, Bratislava, Slovakia); (2) a regional workshop aimed at learning from the experience of Slovakia, India and other countries in ensuring HS safety, including risk management, safety monitoring and evaluation support, early warning, and ICT applications. Participants were also familiarized with the findings of the WB's Global Analysis of Dam Safety in 51 Countries (November 30, Almaty, Kazakhstan).
IWAC took part in a cooperation meeting on groundwater management in the frame of the Tashkent area transboundary aquifer . S. Akhmetov, Director of IWAC, presented an overview of the existing framework of transboundary water management with a focus on groundwater resources at the session "Transboundary groundwater governance facilitation" (May 6, Almaty, hybrid format).
Source: IWAC
6.8. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Established in 1947, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is one of the five regional missions of the UN. ESCAP works to overcome some of the region's greatest challenges by providing results-oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity building to member States in the following areas: macroeconomic policy and development; trade and investment; transport; social development; environment and sustainable development; information and communications technology and disaster risk reduction; statistics and sub-regional activities for development.
SPECA program
ESCAP in cooperation with UNECE manages SPECA. The 25th Session of the Working Group on Water, Energy and Environment was held online on November 15 . The following events were held in Almaty: (1) SPECA Economic Forum “Greener and Safer Future” on structural economic transformation, sustainable and balanced energy transition, digital transformation, while achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment in the SPECA region (November 16-17). (2) 17th session of the SPECA Governing Council summarized the results of the SPECA Economic Forum; the “Almaty Declaration" was adopted; progress reports of the SPECA Thematic Working Groups were discussed; proposal of Azerbaijan to prepare a draft resolution "On the celebration of the 25th anniversary of SPECA" for approval at the 78th UNGA session in 2023 was supported. The Governing Council approved the next session of the SPECA Council and the SPECA Economic Forum 2023 in Azerbaijan (November 18).
6.9. The United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia
The United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) is a special UN political mission established on the initiative of the five Governments of Central Asian in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in 2007 to support national authorities in identifying and addressing existing and potential threats to regional peace and security. In implementing its initiatives, UNRCCA interacts with regional and international organizations. The Centre began operations in 2008 and is led by a Special Representative of the Secretary General.
Key priorities for 2021-2025
The current UNRCCA Programme of Action for 2021-2025 focuses on five key priority areas, which correspond to the Centre’s mandate: (1) promoting preventive diplomacy among the Governments of Central Asia; (2) monitoring and early warning in support of conflict prevention; (3) building partnerships for prevention, including with regional and sub-regional organizations; (4) strengthening the United Nations preventive diplomacy in Central Asia; (5) encouraging cooperation and interaction between Central Asia and Afghanistan in close cooperation with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
The "Strategy in support of cooperation between the states of Central Asia in the field of water, energy, environment and climate for 2022-2025” (hereinafter referred to as the "Water Strategy") was adopted in 2021 with the active participation of all five CA states and focused on four main fields of activities, including: (1) preventive diplomacy and capacity building; (2) strengthening institutions and legal frameworks; (3) ensuring transparency, strengthening relationships and promoting partnerships; and (4) working on cross-cutting issues of the peace and security agenda.
Activities in 2022
As part of “Water Strategy”, UNRCCA organized: (1) a roundtable on the linkages between climate change, peace and security . The roundtable provided an opportunity to exchange views and was able to gauge interest for a follow-up dialogue series on climate security, which could be designed to support regional efforts in identifying advantageous and mutually beneficial forms of cooperation on water, energy, environment, and climate change in the region (April 26, Turkistan, Kazakhstan); (2) a conference forum on "Water and Mountains Towards Sustainable Development" , which provided a viable platform for exchanging experiences and best practice, familiarizing with specific case studies and projects from high mountain regions, including from Central Asia, as well as presenting the current water-related and climate policies of specific countries. As the outcome, the Conference Forum considered concrete recommendations on how to accelerate work in the field of climate, glaciers melt, as well as in the scientific, educational and advocacy fields contributing to the overall objectives of the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018-2028 (June 6, Dushanbe, Tajikistan); (3) a meeting of national experts from the Central Asian states to follow up on a joint work related to reviewing and taking stock in the existing legislative basis in the field of regional water-energy cooperation in Central Asia. The participants exchanged on the latest developments in the national regulatory frameworks on water management, climate change adaptation policies, green economy strategies and shared information on recent bi-and multilateral agreements between CA countries in these sectors, exchanged opinions on the role of Afghanistan in cooperation in the Aral Sea basin and discussed monitoring and early warning on transboundary rivers of Amu Darya and Syr Darya (November 29-30, Samarkand, Uzbekistan).
In cooperation with SIC ICWC, four Aral Sean Basin Transboundary Water Early Warning Bulletins were issued. The Centre also supports activities of the regional knowledge management platform “Water Unites”.
Source: UNRCCA