The 16th meeting of the Steering Group of the National Policy Dialogue in Kyrgyzstan in the field of integrated water resources management was held in Bishkek

On June 20, 2017, the 16th meeting of the Steering Group of the National Policy Dialogue in Kyrgyzstan in the field of integrated water resources management was held in the conference room of the Evropa Hotel.

Objective of the meeting: Discussion of current and planned activities under the National Policy Dialogue in Kyrgyzstan.

Participants of the meeting: Representatives of international organizations (the European Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), UNDP and government organizations (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Processing and Land Improvement of the KR, The National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, the State Agency for Environmental Protection and Forestry under the GoKR, the State Environmental and Safety Inspectorate under the GoKR, The Agency on Hydrometeorology under the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Department of Water Resources and Land Improvement, the Department for Development of Potable Water Supply and Sanitation of the State Agency for Architecture, Construction and Housing and Utilities infrastructure under the GoKR), international projects (World Bank “Agricultural Productivity and Nutrition Improvement Project”, GEF-UNDP-UNECE Project “Promoting transboundary cooperation and integrated water resources management in the Chu and Talas River basins”, CAREC Projects, FinWaterWEI-II Program in Kyrgyzstan), NGOs (National Water Partnership of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz Alliance for Water and Sanitation), as well as educational institutions (Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University, American University in Central Asia), etc.

At this meeting, the Chairman of the meeting, E. Zhusumatov, the Deputy Director General of the Department of Water Resources and Land Improvement, gave a welcoming speech. Further, Mia Dubois – EU in the Kyrgyz Republic, Paep Mardiste – UNECE, Alexander Martusevich – OECD, Vladimir Mamayev – UNDP have delivered speeches.

According to the agenda, the presenters of various organizations made presentations on the activities currently carried out in the field of water, food, energy and environmental security.

In the first half of the day, at the 1st session “Activities in the context of the Minutes on Water and Health in Kyrgyzstan” and at the 2nd session “Issues of water, food, energy and environmental security” presentations were made by the specialists of the National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ministry Healthcare of the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as international and local consultants.

In the afternoon, at the session “Coordination of the activities of partners and projects on water issues in Kyrgyzstan” presentations were made on international projects, including the World Bank “Agricultural Productivity and Nutrition Improvement Project”.

Following the meeting, the Chairman of the meeting E. Zhusumatov has introduced all participants with the draft minutes of the meeting. The parties agreed that the participants will submit their proposals and comments on the draft minutes in writing, after which the Steering Group will make amendments to the draft minutes and then the meeting participants will sign it.

At the end of the meeting E. Zhusumatov has summarized National Policy Dialogue, thanked all the participants for their active participation and for the work they are carrying out within their projects. In conclusion, he called on all participants of the National Policy Dialogue to give even greater attention to the urgent issues in water economy.