On 18 March 2025 in Tashkent, in the building of the Inspectorate for Control over Safety of Water Management Facilities and Water Use under the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan (GOSVODHOZNADZOR), an official handover ceremony of equipment for BUISs (Basin Irrigation System Administrations) was held.
This activity is implemented by GIZ under the second component of the regional programme ‘Climate-sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia’ with financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financing by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Representatives of BUIS at the level of Deputy Heads of Department and the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Karakalpakstan were invited to the ceremony.
Mr. Mr. Birodarjon Burkhondjonov Deputy Director of the Agency for Operation of Water Management Facilities under the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan, attended the ceremony and welcomed the guests.
‘These computers and printers will improve working conditions, increase the accuracy of data collection and provide access to the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) courses we have developed with European universities in the framework of programme,’ noted Dr Caroline Milow, GIZ Project Manager.
‘Switzerland is committed to strengthening effective, efficient, and sustainable integrated water resources management at all levels—local, national, and regional. By strengthening digitalization and technical capacity at the Basin Irrigation System Administrations, we are enhancing data-driven decision-making, fostering transboundary water cooperation, and supporting equitable access to water resources. This initiative contributes to climate adaptation and resilience by ensuring that water management is informed by robust climate data, benefiting communities and sectors that rely on sustainable and secure water access’ underlined Mr.Andrin Fink, Deputy Head of Mission / Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan.
The procured equipment will enable BUISs to fulfil all necessary tasks in a timely manner and will improve the process of digitalisation in the water sector.
For reference:
Technical capacity building on climate-smart IWRM for regional and national river basin organisations is ongoing in the framework of the Regional Programme ‘Climate-sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia’. In order to assess the needs and technical capacity of regional and national basin organisations, a questionnaire was developed to identify the needs of the Basin Irrigation System Administrations (BISA) of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
From February to March 2024, programme specialists visited 12 Basin Irrigation Administrations of all regions of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Karakalpakstan to discuss their technical capacity building needs and collect completed questionnaires.
Based on the completed questionnaires of the second component of the above-mentioned project, an assessment of the needs and technical capacity of the basin irrigation system administrations was developed. Three desktop computers, two laptops and two printers were purchased for each BISA, including the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
