TAJIKISTAN CONFERENCE DRAWS ATTENTION TO LACK OF CENTRAL ASIAN COOPERATION ON WATER ISSUES
9/02/03

The Tajik hosts of the recent United Nations-sponsored Fresh Water Forum suggested that greater international aid could ease Central Asia’s water woes. UN officials made it clear, however, that alleviating the regional water crisis requires increased cooperation among Central Asian states.

The forum, held August 30-September 1 in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, brought together roughly 500 delegates from 50 countries, most of which are confronting serious water shortages and related problems. The forum provided for an exchange of ideas on water-related issues, but took no substantive action. At the conclusion of the gathering, participants approved an appeal put forward by Tajik officials to proclaim the period 2005-2015 as "the decade of fresh water."

In opening remarks, Tajik President Imomali Rahmonov indicated that, at least in Tajikistan’s case, increased foreign support for infrastructure improvements would make a difference in enabling the country to address its water-related problems. "Tajikistan has an expanded irrigation infrastructure, powerful water supply facilities and major power stations. But currently, Tajikistan is not capable of fully maintaining, repairing and continuously operating them," Rahmonov said August 30. "This requires large sums of money and the participation of various specialists."

Tajikistan offers an intriguing case study among those nations beset by water shortages. The country actually is the source of roughly half the water found in Central Asia. The giant reservoir at Lake Sarez, for instance, contains enough water "to provide the world’s entire population with the purest water for one year," Rahmonov told forum participants. Despite this, many Tajiks do not have access to reliable and clean drinking water supplies. According to a UN report, for example, 16 percent of the water carried by the distribution network in Dushanbe is untreated. As a result, outbreaks of water-borne diseases, such as cholera and typhoid, remain commonplace in Tajikistan.

Other Central Asian states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – are grappling with similar problems. Besides Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan is a primary source of water for regional use. Both countries are often at odds over water usage with their low-lying neighbors, especially Uzbekistan.

Rahmonov’s administration faced some criticism for spending almost $1 million on hosting the conference. Critics said the money would be better spent on social programs. Rashid Alimov, Tajikistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, defended the state’s expenditures in an interview with the Asia-Plus news agency. "These expenses could seem to be ineffective only to those who know little about the potential outcome of the forum," he said. "The aggregate cost of ongoing projects related to water issues implemented in the cities and rural areas of Tajikistan amounts to $119 million. These projects are funded by foreign governments and international monetary funds. It is expected that after the Forum the number of such activities will increase."

As Alimov’s comments indicated, government officials clearly expect that hosting the conference will result in increased aid for Tajikistan. During the forum, Rahmonov held side meetings with various UN officials. One, Mervat Tallawy, the head of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, told Tajik television on August 31 that UN agencies were "ready to cooperate with Tajikistan in various areas."

In addition to the problem of ensuring adequate drinking water supplies, Central Asian nations are notorious for their inefficient use of water in agriculture. Large amounts of water is wasted in transit along Central Asia’s crumbling irrigation canal system. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Efforts to promote the more rational allocation of available water have also repeatedly failed to gain traction among regional governments. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archives]. Rancor among Central Asian states was evident even during the water forum, as delegates traded thinly veiled barbs over water-usage practices.

The United Nations Development Program’s associate administrator, Zephirin Diabre, drew attention to the lack of cooperation during his remarks at the forum. Central Asia’s water crisis is "essentially a crisis of governance," Diabre said, The UN official added that Central Asian mismanagement of its water resources is fuelling the Aral Sea crisis. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Overcoming existing problems will require regional cooperation.

"Commitment, equal participation and open dialogue in all the countries, including Afghanistan, will promote human security and stability in the region," Diabre said. "We must share responsibility and take measures in order to prevent serious water shortages in the coming decades."

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Posted September 2, 2003 © Eurasianet
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