On January 22, 2025, the Second meeting of the Syr Darya River Basin Dialogue commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the EU and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
“Collaboration on shared water resources like the Syr Darya River is vital for regional stability and sustainable development. The EU is proud to contribute to this initiative, which not only fosters dialogue but also builds resilience to climate change, improves infrastructure, and strengthens regional cooperation. Together, we are working to ensure that water becomes a unifying force for the region,” said Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan.
“Water knows no borders. Cooperation among the countries along the Syr Darya is crucial to ensure the equitable and sustainable use of this precious resource, particularly in the light of climate change. Switzerland is glad to support the Central Asian countries in this endeavor jointly with Germany and the EU” – noted Ms.Lisa Marina Gampp, Regional Water and Climate Change Advisor, Program Manager Regional Water Infrastructure and Climate Change, Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan
“Our programme supports regional cooperation in water resources management at the level of the two basins of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers through dialogue at all governance levels. It is encouraging to note that regional cooperation in Central Asia is supported by the joint efforts of the European Union, Germany and Switzerland. This cooperation will further strengthen our joint work”- underlined Dr.Caroline Milow, Manager of Regional Programme GIZ “Climate Sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia”
The meeting was attended by authorized representatives appointed from each Central Asian country (representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Central Asia, relevant sectoral ministries, Hydrological Services), as well as representatives of the programme’s international partners.
The participants discussed the following issues:
– Based on agreement with national authorities improving regional cooperation through the development of monitoring and planning tools in accordance with the principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM) taking into account climate impacts;
– Presentation and discussion of pilot projects agreed upon by national partners within the framework of the GIZ|SDC|EU water management programme;
– Facilitating the exchange of management practices and enhancing the water management system and infrastructure within the Syr Darya river basin;
– Discussion of proposals for joint work within the agreed priority area “Enhancing climate change resilience through discussion of possible infrastructure development (Nexus approach) and improving monitoring/forecasting of river flow using modern methods along the Syr Darya river”;
– Discussion of the concept for organising events within the framework of the International Day of the Syr Darya River in 2025.
