OSCE supports regional water management seminar in Kazakhstan

    An OSCE-supported training seminar on water governance aimed at promoting regional cooperation through the exchange of knowledge and experience started yesterday in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
    The three-day event is being co-organized by the OSCE Program Office in Astana with Kazakh-German University and the Foreign Ministries of Germany and Kazakhstan. It brought together some 20 young professional from all Central Asian countries and Afghanistan who will learn from experts from the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on the best international practices and identify ways to incorporate these into national water management sectors in the region.
    "Each of us understands that water cooperation in Central Asia goes far beyond purely technical and scientific cooperation," Political Advisor at Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry Dudar Zhakenov said.
    "This is one of the main tools in the fight against poverty and climate change, it is a major a factor of stabilization for social and economic development of our countries."
    Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Program Office in Astana, Rati Japaridze said, "The OSCE attaches great importance to supporting young professionals to reach their full potential so that they could generate innovative and creative solutions for addressing local, national and regional challenges"
    Participants will exchange views on integrated water resources management as it relates to international law on trans-border water resources, as well as discuss the role of young professionals in enhancing water governance in the region, in particular through establishing the Central Asian Youth Water Parliament. They will also address the impact of climate change on water resources, data and information management in the regional water sector, regional agreements on water management and national legislation on water resources management, officials say.
    The seminar is part of the Office's long-standing efforts to promote regional cooperation in water resources management and is in line with the OSCE Chairmanship's priority of fostering the increased participation of youth in decision-making processes, Akipress reports.