Scientific-Practical Conference "Water in Central Asia: the Future in Cooperation" dedicated to 90^th anniversary of the late V. Dukhovniy and N. Kipshakbaev and 80^th anniversary of R. Giniyatullin

8 November 2024

The Conference aims at building a dialogue between decision makers and experts, between seniors and youth on water management in line with water, energy and land nexus in Central Asia in order to form an expert partnership for enhanced science policy interface in the region.

Target audience: water managers and experts, young professionals from the Central Asian countries.

Youth engagement: To ensure effective participation of young professionals, a call for Conference papers was announced. The selected papers are included in Conference Proceedings.

AGENDA

Opening

Moderator: Dinara Ziganshina

Welcome speeches:

Shavkat Khamraev, Minister of Water Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Dilshod Umarov, Director General, Tajik Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation Research Institute

Ashirmurad Mukhamedov, Head of Middle Darya Branch of BWO Amu Darya

Askhat Orazbai, Chairman, Executive Committee of IFAS

Session in honor of celebrants

Contribution of Prof. Dukhovniy to water development in Central Asia. Ismail Djurabekov, Advisor to the Minister of Water Management of Uzbekistan

Specifics of water cooperation in Central Asia. Nariman Kipshakbaev, Honorary member of ICWC

Cooperation between the Central Asian countries on sound water use. Rim Giniyatullin, Honorary member of ICWC

Additional addresses and discussion

Session 1 “Water security in Central Asia in the context of climate change: challenges and opportunities”

Moderator: Abdibay Djailoobaev

Water-energy security in Central Asia in the context of climate change – Daniyar Sharip, Deputy Director, Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Financing for the improvement of irrigation and land reclamation in Central Asia: case study of the Republic of Tajikistan - Dilshod Umarov, Director General, Tajik Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation Research Institute

IFAS’ role and tasks in the current context: opportunities and challenges - Askhat Orazbai, Chairman, Executive Committee of IFAS

Regional strategy on adaptation to climate change in Central Asia - Caroline Milow, GIZ Green Central Asia

Clustering the Russian Federation’s subjects depending on types and frequencies of hydrological hazards - Prof. Dmitry Kozlov, Head of the Department of Hydraulics and Hydraulic Engineering at Moscow State University of Civil Engineering

Session 2 “Sound water use, water conservation and ecosystem protection”

Moderator: Saghit Ibatullin

Strengthening regional and bilateral cooperation on sound water use in Central Asia - Shavkat Khamraev, Minister of Water Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Water conservation – the main way to overcome water scarcity - Yarash Pulatov, Institute of Water Problems, Hydropower and Ecology at the Tajikistan National Academy of Sciences

Developing a concept for overcoming the Aral Sea problems - Vadim Sokolov, Head of GEF Agency in Uzbekistan

Achieving sound water use in agriculture in the CIS countries – Viktor Schevtchenko, Director, All-Russia Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation Irrigation Research Institute named by A. Kostyakov

Central Asia water and land nexus for ecosystem restoration, improved natural resource management and increased resilience – Carolina Starr, FAO, online

Rational water use, water conservation and ecosystem protection (GIZ: Eco-Aral / Cotton) - Shavkat Kenjabaev, IWMI

Session 3 “Transboundary cooperation and water-food-energy-environment nexus”

Moderator: Tulegen Sarsembekov

Current and future cooperation on water and energy - Khamidulla Shamsiev, Director, CDC “Energy”

Financing and investments for the improvement of water and energy cooperation - Takayoshi Kato, OECD

Modeling the benefits of transboundary cooperation - Anatoliy Sorokin, SIC ICWC

Key activities of the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP) to support regional cooperation - Aleix Serrat Capdevila, World Bank

Outcomes of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention and plans for 2025-2027 – Tamara Kutonova, UNECE, online

The issue of transition to green economy – Madina Jaborova, TajikNIIGiM

Session 4 “Information, education and science for water security and cooperation”

Moderator: Barbara Janusz-Pawletta

Building a common education (academic) space in the water sector in Central Asia - Saghit Ibatullin, Coordinator, Expert Platform on Water Security, Sustainable Development and Future Studies

Development of Water-Environmental Education and Research in the era of global transformations: Achievements, Challenges and Ways to overcome Abdulkhakim Salokhiddinov, Vice-Rector, National Research University “Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers”

Modernization of SIC ICWC information and analytical tools – Dinara Ziganshina, SIC ICWC

Women in the water sector of Central Asia: insights from existing publications – Minura Begishbek kyzy, Mercy Corps in the Kyrgyz Republic

Closing

“…I served both people and water…” On the 90th anniversary of Professor Viktor Abramovich Dukhovny

Collection of Memories (in Russian)