15 March 2013: The Steering Committee of the National Policy Dialogue (NPD) on integrated water resources management (IWRM) in Kyrgyzstan adopted national targets on water supply, water quality and wastewater treatment that aim to reduce water-related diseases and improve human health. Participants also discussed river basin planning and considered the economic and financial aspects of water policy.

An inter-ministerial working group developed the water targets and presented them at the meeting as part of a report titled “Setting targets in the context of the Protocol on Water and Health in Kyrgyzstan.” The report identifies water supply and sanitation challenges and proposes goals, targets and timelines. In particular, the report recommends implementing improved sanitary systems in 80% of schools and 90% of kindergartens by 2015.

Different agencies presented their draft river basin management plans for the Chu, Isfara, Kugart and Talas River Basins and discussed river basin planning at the NPD meeting. Participants agreed to develop a uniform approach to formulating river basin plans in Kyrgyzstan to ensure similar methodologies across river basins. Participants also discussed a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that recommends using economic instruments to improve IWRM.

The ninth Steering Committee meeting, which took place on 13 March 2013, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, was held as part of the Water Management and Basin Organisations in Central Asia (WMBOCA) project, which is funded by the EU and implemented by the GIZ Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia Programme.

The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) serves as the implementing partner for NPD on IWRM, which is the main operational instrument of the EU Water Initiative (EUWI) in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The EUWI aims to improve coordination among sectors to improve water management and facilitate development assistance in the water sector. [UNECE Press Release] [National Policy Dialogues on Integrated Water Resources Management Webpage] [EUWI NPD Publication]