International organizations as key players on preventing water regulation crisis in Central Asia.
By Ganiev Alisher
Crisis of Trans border rivers of the Central Asian region attracted internationally community from the start point and being observed in highly degree. International Organizations and third countries understand and assess precisely the region as one of the rich and full of potential to natural and human resources. International organizations took the water crisis case from different perspectives such as Water shortage, Environmental, and Lack of cooperation of the regional states in dealing with trans-border rivers issues among each other.[1]
United Nations plays a crucial key role in handling those three aspects of the problem Environmental / Water shortage / Cooperation. UN structures have been present in this region almost from the beginning of the newly independent states and trying to provide assessment with the assistance.
United Nations structures on Water Cooperation in Central Asia
United Nations Development Program
UNDP is one the most outstanding structures of the UN in region and one the highly appreciated by all states in the trans-border rivers sector. UNDP pose as crucial third party for the states and for international donors who has desire to help with from economic perspective. Moreover, it may take neutral part and provide with more clear and objective information about going on situation to the donors and international NGO’s. In addition, UNDP can assist for NGO’s with providing buildings and technologies. [2] Today, this organization has one the biggest date on water agenda and very eager to share with any state of the region, third states, international organizations, NGO’s or to private donors.
United Nations Environment Program
One of the admired UN organization of the down states (states such as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) is UNEP as this organization protects the Environment Activities, Biodiversity Conservation and Ozone layer Protection Activities. Mostly, down states complain to this organization with challenges that construction of the hydro plants will effect as negative consequences to the biodiversity and environment perspectives of the landscape of the Aral basin.[3] From the beginning, organization spent to conserve the environment more than 2$ million. It monitors and participate on regional meetings, regional researches and regional projects in order to withhold states from violation of the ecosystem.
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
Despite the name, UNECE has large coverage of agendas. It’s one of the priority direction in Central Asia is to support collaboration among states in order to increase water management and cooperation.[4] UNECE consist of from two pillars of the United Nations Special Program for Economies of Central Asia and UNICE regional environmental conventions. UNICE has three important roles in Water regulation assistance first is regional strategy, second fund raise and third is initiate projects. Besides, UNICE has been cooperating with Germany and some European states in order to bring order to the water and energy sectors of the region.
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
UN ESCAP has sub regional office for North and Central Asia (SONCA).[5] Role of the SONCA in the region is the through elevation of the economic leap to improve other aspect including water regulating, up growth partner’s collaboration in order ensure environmentally friendly evolution of the entire region.
UNESCO is one of the most powerful and popular UN branch within Central Asia. We understand that UNESCO concern to trans-border rivers, water regulation and water crisis within region from the long term policy with indirect effects. For instance, UNESCO participates actively or face to face with regions representatives of the states on water issues. Nevertheless, main focus is directed through education perspectives to the water issues. It provides knowledge to children of the region on how to utilize water with more rationally[6]. In addition, UNESCO has touch points with education, capacity building to the growing needs of sustainable development and Hydrological Science for water policy. Therefore, we notice that there are double types of approaches to the water issue. One is direct assisting the representatives of the states and second is indirect through education with promoting pragmatic approaches to water affairs.
International Organizations on dealing with water issues in Central Asia
Asian Development Bank
The direction of activities on water deferrer from scientific collaboration of the region states till rationally utilizing water resources. We have to admit that this organization has as many as water approaches comparing with any other organization in this region they are:
- Water governance,
- Additional maintenance to the regions states water assessments “Future of Water in Asia”,
- Water environment and ecosystems,
- Water and climate change,
- Sanitation and waste food management,
- Water and food security.[7]
It is clear that ADB spends overwhelming work to bring order to the water chaos of the region. In addition, we recognize that this organization cares to water issues from all lens which puts it in one the important regional organization.
World Bank
World Bank has a long history in Central Asian region. It covers almost all social problems including water management and environment. Besides, World Bank is considered one of the bid global organization on trans – border river issues. It has assisted to the Nile, Danube and Mekong international rivers in dealing with riparian countries on water regulation process. Moreover, one of the biggest data for water related information is on the World Bank’s data base on Central Asia. World Bank is very eager to give free access to individual donors or to state representatives who are involved in water regulation process of the region, which is very crucial in solving process.[8]
In addition, international organizations like Eurasian Development, Organization for Security and cooperation in Europe(OSCE) and International NGO’s such as The regional Environmental for Central Asia (CAREC), Soros Foundation, Kondraud Adenaur Foundation and Goethe Institut are partly involved water regulation, water quality sanitation and food security which considered one of the main top agenda Central Asian States.[9]
In in the dealing processes of the Central Asian water regulation we consider not only United Nations branch presence but also bilateral relations of the states in order to peacefully resolving the water regulation process and evaluation of the trans-border rivers quality.
United States Agency for International Development.
United States do not conceal Central Asian region importance and unmask saying that region is rich with natural fossils such as oil and gas reserves. This is one of the reason why US watches closely region states and tries to assist in any activity, especially when it considers water regulation. From water perspective, USAID helps in better management of environmental resources, energy and fight against lack of healthcare (from environment perspectives).[10] We realize that USAID fund for all activities within the region estimates more than 110$ million annually that makes it one of the powerful bilateral organization of the region which connect all five states plus Afghanistan. Aforesaid, it is clear that USAID can play a key role in dealing with water crisis in the region.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
The method of the Swiss Agency employees is unique in comparison with other organizations that involved within the region. SADC considers on the bilateral cooperation of the states and tries to build from bilateral position to multilateral polarity.[11] It gives grants at least programs, which engaged two state of the five Central Asian region in water aspects and directions, which brings win – win solution considering to natural resources.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Organization support via economic endorsement the countries of the region. JICA has enforced two direction of the involvement in the Central Asia:
- The short term policies considers drug preventing, terrorism fight, mine clearing, fight against empowerment reduce and health care improvement.
- Long-term policies challenges consist of the trans – border water regulation, environmental issues, energy sector and logistics. [12]
Therefore, long-term policy touches our point and puts JICA as one the Japanese institution on assisting water regulation. In addition, JICA supports some of the international organizations such as World Bank, EBRD and Asian Development Bank in order to help support in assisting Central Asian States in water coordination processes.
Deutsche Gesellshaft fur International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
GIZ is considered one of the successful bilateral institute that provides with full scale of support to the region’s states from all directions. For instance, to promote inter states economic relations and trade boosting. Organization is not only involved in promoting economic relations by assisting them but also build up trans boundary water management in Central Asia where program on functions on the behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office. Trans boundary water management is directed to make the best or at least most effective use of natural resources, especially in water sector and at the same time with increase social lives of the inhabitant of the whole region. The strength of the organization is status of it, all states of the region respect and mostly support it’s actions on trans-border rivers regulations.
Besides, we notice that in Central Asian water regulation processes was attracted not only International organizations with NGO’s but also it was topic for some individuals from all around world. For instance, Dean McKinney is professor in the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering who has done a great work in Environmental aspect of trans border water regulation in Central Asia the University of Texas at Austin.[13] Philip Micklin was professor of geography from Western Michigan University and his attention is directed to post USSR states, especially Central Asian States on from Environment to the Social changes in it.[14] Another, one of the most famous scholar is Nikolay Aladin professor of Zoology and head of the Laboratory of Brackish Water Hydrobiology, Zoological Institute[15] who is focus on Aral Sea and the environmental crisis in this region. Lucy Jenkins-Young is the professor at the University Arcadia. She brought a deep analyses of the water distribution crisis and the provided some resolutions to the states in order to prevent conflict.
Above mentioned information points out one more time that Central Asian water regulation processes became attractive for UN, international organizations, international NGO’s, bilateral and multilateral organizations of the states and individuals from all around the globe. The key massage is that regional water issues has been becoming international organizations agenda and captivated enough attention to resolute it before it crashes out.
Literature:
[1] Dr K.Gerasimova “NGOs’ role in solving trans boundary water conflicts (the case study of Central Asian countries)” University of Cambridge 2015
[2] UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States “Bringing down barriers: Regional cooperation for human development and human security” Printed in Bratislava, Slovak Republic 2015
[3] United Nations Environment Program “Environmental Indicators Central Asia” Published by the United Nations Environment Program 2004.
[4] United Nations Economic Commission for Europe “Water Policy Reforms in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia” Published at EU, OECD, UNECE, 2014
[5] Shamshad Akhtar Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Executive Secretary of ESCAP on “The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s Sub regional Office for North and Central Asia (ESCAP-SONCA)” 2011
[6] UNESCO Conference Summarized on “Water Resources of Central Asia and Their Use” 22 September 2016 see for further info http://en.unesco.org/news/water-resources-central-asia-and-their-use-conference-summarized
[7] “Asian Development Bank” Climate Change and Sustainable Water Management in Central Asia
Publication May 2014
[8] World Bank “Central Asia Energy-Water Development Program” CAEWDP-Brochure 2014 Kazakhstan
[9] Dr K.Gerasimova “NGOs’ role in solving trans boundary water conflicts (the case study of Central Asian countries)” University of Cambridge 2015
[10] USAID “Regional Development Cooperation Strategy for 2015 – 2019” October 2014
[11] Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation “Swiss Cooperation Strategy Central Asia 2012–2015” 2012
[12] Timur Dadabaev “Japan’s ODA assistance scheme and Central Asian engagement: Determinants, trends, expectations” Published at Journal of Eurasian Studies Volume 7, Issue 1, January 2016, Pages 24–38
[13] Dean McKinney professor at Environmental and Water Resources Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin The University Of Texas At Austin for further information//http://www.caee.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney
[14] Philip Micklin was professor of geography from Western Michigan University https://wmich.edu/geography
[15] Nikolay Aladin professor of Zoology and head of the Laboratory of Brackish Water Hydrobiology, Zoological Institute go for further information http://www.zin.ru/labs/brackish/staff/aladin.htm
Politics/Conflictology/International Relation 