Section 6. United Nations and its specialized agencies
6.5. UN-Water
In 2003, the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination established the inter-agency coordination mechanism UN-Water. It coordinates the efforts of UN entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues. Over 30 UN organizations carry out water and sanitation programs.
UN-Water Activities in 2024
At the special “SDG 6 and Water Agenda” event of the UN High-Level Political Forum, the first-ever UN System Wide Strategy (SWS) on water and sanitation was presented (July 16, New York). The strategy is intended to provide a comprehensive approach for United Nations entities with a mandate which includes themes related to water and sanitation to work collaboratively – not as a sector in a ‘silo’, but holistically to address the interrelated cross-sectoral aspects of water and sanitation. The SWS is structured around five points of entry: leading and inspiring collective action on water and sanitation, leveraging unified support as a UN system at country level, integration of water and sanitation issues across sectors, acceleration mechanisms for SDG 6, and joint review and learning.
Events: (1) 39th meeting dedicated to the preparations for the upcoming meetings on water and sustainable development, including the two UN Conferences in 2026 and 2028 (March 12-13, Rome, Italy) and 40th meeting focused on the linkages between the water agenda and the three Rio Conventions on biodiversity, climate change and desertification, as well as priority actions in support of the UN System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation, (November 4-5, New York); (2) side event “Accelerate implementation of SDG 6 in SIDS – How does the UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation support SIDS?” at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) Conference (May 27).
Publications: (1) “Water for Prosperity and Peace” report highlights the nexus between sustainable water management, well-being and peace; (2) SDG 6 Country Acceleration Case Study: Jordan, the Czech Republic and Cambodia; (3) analytical brief “Water for Climate Mitigation”; (4) SDG 6 progress reports “Progress on Implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management”, “Progress on Transboundary Water Cooperation”, “Progress on Change in Water-Use Efficiency”..
Source: UN-Water
6.6. UN Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is one of five regional commissions of the United Nations set up in 1947. Its main scope of work includes environment, transport, statistics, sustainable energy, trade, wood products and forests, housing and land use, population and economic cooperation and integration.
UNECE Water Convention and its Protocol on Water and Health and the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents
Events. Under the Water Conventions and the Protocol, UNECE organized: (1) 35th (January 30-31) and 36th meetings of the Bureau to the Water Convention (May 8-9, Geneva); (2) global workshop on droughts in transboundary basins (February 26-27, Geneva); (3) 14th meeting of the Task Force on Water and Climate (February 28, Geneva); (4) expert consultation on transboundary water cooperation and climate change in view of the preparation of the 3rd progress report on SDG indicator 6.5.2 (February 29, Geneva); (5) 17th meeting of the Implementation Committee of the Water Convention (March 7-8, Italy); (6) 14th meeting of the Working Group on Water and Health (April 16-17, Geneva); (7) 5th joint meeting of the Working Group on IWRM and the Working Group on Monitoring and Assessment (May 6-8, Geneva); (8) 25th meeting of the Compliance Committee under the Protocol on Water and Health (July 2, Geneva), (9) 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention (October 23-25, Ljubljana).
Publications. (1) Good Practices and Lessons Learned in Data-sharing in Transboundary Basins; (2) Progress on Transboundary Water Cooperation: Mid-term status of SDG Indicator 6.5.2, with a special focus on Climate Change – 2024; (3) Progress on Transboundary Water Cooperation under the Water Convention: 3rd report on implementation of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (2020-2023).
UNECE Activities in Central Asia in 2024
Work on Protocol on Water and Health
UNECE and WHO/Europe launched a joint project “Improving water, sanitation, hygiene and health through implementation of the program of work of the Protocol on Water and Health”. The objective is to strengthen the capacity of countries in Central Asia (particularly, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan), Eastern Europe and the Caucasus to set and implement water, sanitation, hygiene and health targets under the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health, with a view to strengthening resilience against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Kazakhstan. Kazakh Government representatives and academia discussed the benefits and provisions of the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health. The national bodies (Committee for Water Resources of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation; Committee for Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Ministry of Industry and Construction; Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources; Committee of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan) presented reviews of countries' priorities and activities in the areas of WASH, water management and health. This helped better understand the country's needs and align project activities with them. The existing draft targets developed under the Protocol on Water and Health in 2016 will be updated and revised in parallel with the 2025 implementation of the “Equitable Access Score-card 2.0”. This process will include an analysis of baseline data (4-5 September, Astana).
Turkmenistan. Turkmen government representatives and academia discussed the benefits and provisions of the UNECE-WHO/Europe Protocol on Water and Health. Relevant national authorities (Sanitary and Epidemiological Service of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and Production and Design Institute “Тurkmensuvilimtaslama” of the State Committee for Water Management) made comprehensive overviews of the country’s priorities and activities in the areas of WASH and water management. It was recommended to undertake a baseline WASH analysis to assist the country in understanding the Protocol's benefits and obligations and in assessing its potential accession (October 2-3, Ashgabat).
Uzbekistan. As part of the SDG-financed “Strengthening action in Uzbekistan on water and sanitation and protection of water resources from accidental pollution in the face of climate change” project, activities on the Protocol on Water and Health were discussed during a consultative mission and coordination meetings with national experts and stakeholders; a baseline analysis and further development of targets were agreed upon (November 12-13, Tashkent). As a new Party to the Protocol, Uzbekistan has a legal obligation to develop its targets within two years of accession. In 2024, the following were developed: (1) a Framework Program for a Joint Emergency Plan for the Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Accidents at Industrial Sites and Tailings Dams in the Syr Darya River basin; (2) a roadmap and preliminary draft law on accession to the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents; (3) basic provisions for a baseline analysis of the situation in Uzbekistan in areas covered by the Protocol; and (4) draft updated wastewater treatment regulations along with a project for the new classification of natural water bodies in terms of quality.
Activities on tailings safety and the prevention of accidental water pollution
Tajikistan. The 3rd meeting of the IIWG on Tailings Safety and the Prevention of Accidental Water Pollution was held. The participants highlighted the importance of implementing the National Water Resources Strategy of Tajikistan and the recent steps taken by Tajikistan towards accession to the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents (May 15, Tajikistan).
Uzbekistan. Activities of the “Strengthening tailings safety and the prevention of accidental water pollution in Uzbekistan and beyond in Central Asia” project include: (1) 3-day training session, where participants applied the UNECE Safety Guidelines and Good Practices for Tailings Management Facilities. The training served as an important platform for strengthening regional and cross-border cooperation. Representatives from Tajikistan shared their experience in applying tools and guidelines developed under relevant UNECE conventions, contributing to a productive atmosphere of learning and knowledge sharing (September, Tashkent province); (2) 1st meeting of the IIWG on Tailings Safety and Prevention of Water Pollution in Uzbekistan (September 24); (3) 7th meeting of the Uzbek-Kazakh Joint Working Group on environmental protection and water quality in the Syr Darya River Basin (December 20, online).
An international workshop and field visit were organized for increasing capacities to prevent, prepare for and respond to accidental water pollution from tailings facilities. National and international experts discussed legal frameworks, monitoring practices, early warning systems, and the role of transboundary basin organizations. The workshop provided a platform for exchanging information on best practices and strengthening cooperation between the Parties to the Conventions on Transboundary Waters and Effects of Industrial Accidents and other UN countries, thereby enhancing the capacity of experts in industrial safety and water pollution prevention to implement the Roadmap for Safe Tailings Management by 2030 (April 23-24, Bratislava, Slovakia).
SPECA Program. The 27th session of the Working Group on Water, Energy and Environment of the SPECA focused on regional energy connection, decarbonization, water and trade relationships, and water and energy nexus development. The report on necessity, viability and modalities for the establishment of the United Nations Special Programme for the Aral Sea Basin in line with UNESCAP resolution 79/8 (Ziganshina D.R.) was presented during the meeting (November 25, Dushanbe). For details, see Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
SDG indicator 6.5.2. In 2023-2024, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan submitted national reports to UNECE and UNESCO during the 3rd reporting on SDG indicator 6.5.2.
Source: UNECE
International Water Assessment Centre
The International Water Assessment Centre (IWAC) is the centre for international cooperation on IWRM, which has been established as a subsidiary body of the Water Convention. Since 2017, IWAC is located in Astana.
IWAC Activities in 2024
IWAC, with the financial support of the OSCE Program Office in Astana, has been implementing the Project “Improvement of the education system in the water sector of Kazakhstan” aimed at developing measures to improve education in the water sector of Kazakhstan. So far, the analysis of the current state and perspectives for education in the water sector of Kazakhstan has been prepared, and conceptual and strategic recommendations on improving the process of professional training for the water sector have been elaborated.
IWAC supports Central Asian countries in developing a legal and institutional framework for the prevention of accidental water pollution at the national level. In cooperation with UNECE, IWAC assisted Kazakhstan and Tajikistan in establishing interagency working groups on tailings safety and the prevention of accidental water pollution. IWAC participates in the meetings of these working groups on an annual basis and promotes intersectoral coordination on safe tailings management and water pollution prevention in transboundary basins.
IWAC supports the promotion of the Water Convention at global water events, including the One Water Summit chaired by France and Kazakhstan and held as part of the 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (December 2-13, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). One of the main objectives of the Summit was to promote the development of transboundary water cooperation and increase awareness of the Convention. In this context, IWAC is assisting the Government of Kazakhstan in promoting the Convention among the countries of Asia and the Middle East. Particularly, a hybrid roundtable was held on the topic of “Enhancing Kazakhstan’s Cooperation with Asian and Middle Eastern Countries in the Field of Transboundary Water Protection and Utilization”. At the end of the meeting, the parties reached an agreement to continue the dialogue on the promotion of the Convention (June 12).
Astana hosted: (1) a meeting on the occasion of the launch of the Project “Improving water supply, sanitation, hygiene and health through implementation of the program of work of the Protocol on Water and Health”, with the support of the Kazakh Ministry of Health (September 4-5); (2) a working meeting on improving the education system in the field of water management in Kazakhstan, in collaboration with the MWRI RK and the OSCE Program Office in Astana. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the results of the analytical study of the current situation in the field of training and professional development in the water sector and to develop measures to improve the professional development system (September 24, mixed format).
IWAC participated in: (1) workshops on transboundary water allocation, WEFE Nexus, development of agreements and other arrangements titled “Supporting the exchange of lessons learned, best practices and practical tools” (April 15-16, Livingstone, Zambia) and on building capacities to prevent, prepare for and respond to accidental water pollution from tailings management facilities (April 23-24, Bratislava, Slovakia); (2) 5th joint meeting of the Working Groups on IWRM and Monitoring and Assessment (May 6-8, Geneva, Switzerland); (3) 36th meeting of the Bureau of the Water Convention (May 8-9, Geneva, Switzerland).
Source: IWAC
6.7. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Established in 1947, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is one of the five regional missions of the UN. ESCAP works to overcome some of the region's greatest challenges by providing results-oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity building to member States in the following areas: macroeconomic policy and development; trade and investment; transport; social development; environment and sustainable development; information and communications technology and disaster risk reduction; statistics and sub-regional activities for development.
SPECA Program
A high-level meeting at COP29 saw the launch of the SPECA Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which will finance programs to address common economic development and regional integration challenges in the context of global trends, such as climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, digitalization, the shifting structures of global supply chains and other issues, as well as the SPECA region’s specific needs. The Fund is already open for contributions and is expected to be funded by voluntary contributions from the SPECA Member States, bilateral and multilateral donors and other partners.
Dushanbe hosted: (1) 27th session of the SPECA Working Group on Water, Energy, and Environment, which presented a regional roadmap for integrating energy systems to support sustainable development (ESCAP), scenario modelling for strengthening energy connectivity in Central Asia (SEI), the role of water trade, management and hydropower in adapting to climate change. Additionally, a report was presented on the ESCAP Resolution 79/8 on the necessity and modalities of establishing the UN Special Programme for the Aral Sea (November 25); (2) economic forum on the topic “Green development in the SPECA region”, which addressed the issues of green economic development of SPECA Member States, in particular, water and energy security and climate change, transport, smart trade, innovations and technologies for sustainable development and gender equality (November 26-28); (3) 19th session of the SPECA Governing Council, which considered the matter of Turkmenistan’s chairmanship in 2025, preparation of a corresponding Concept and Plan of Activities (November 28). The Dushanbe Declaration was adopted. By this Declaration the participants acknowledged the urgent need for regional cooperation in green development and pledged to strengthen collaboration across critical sectors, including energy, trade digitalization, investment, water cooperation, and innovation ecosystems (November 28).
Source: ESCAP
6.8. The United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia
The United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) is a special UN political mission established on the initiative of the five Governments of Central Asia in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in 2007 to support national authorities in identifying and addressing existing and potential threats to regional peace and security. In implementing its initiatives, UNRCCA interacts with regional and international organizations. The Centre is led by a Special Representative of the Secretary General.
Key priorities for 2021-2025 (1) promoting preventive diplomacy among the Governments of Central Asia; (2) monitoring and early warning in support of conflict prevention; (3) building partnerships for prevention, including with regional and sub-regional organizations; (4) strengthening the United Nations preventive diplomacy in Central Asia; (5) encouraging cooperation and interaction between Central Asia and Afghanistan in close cooperation with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
The “Strategy in support of cooperation between the states of Central Asia in the field of water, energy, environment and climate for 2022-2025” (hereinafter referred to as the "Water Strategy") was adopted in 2021 with the active participation of all five CA states and focused on four main fields of activities, including: (1) preventive diplomacy and capacity building; (2) strengthening institutions and legal frameworks; (3) ensuring transparency, strengthening relationships and promoting partnerships; and (4) working on cross-cutting issues of the peace and security agenda.
UNRCCA Activities in 2024
Events: (1) hybrid session for participants of the Preventive Diplomacy Academy and students of the Training Center for Priority Areas of Diplomacy of Turkmenistan to examine a complex relationship between climate and water (March 19, Turkmenistan); (2) in cooperation with the CAREC, the Nexus simulation game session for the PDA 2024 cohort and PDA Alumni members from Turkmenistan. The game let its participants stand in the shoes of politicians and CEOs who jointly shape an economy that provides energy, water and food to its cities (April 30, Turkmenistan); (3) meeting of experts of the Central Asian States on water, energy, environment, and climate cooperation in the region (October 29-30, Almaty and December 19-20, online).
Within the framework of the 3rd High-Level International Conference on the International Decade For Action “Water for Sustainable Development” 2018–2028, UNRCCA organized the “Water and Women” Forum to consolidate actions and exchange best practices on promoting the role of women in water management, governance and water diplomacy and the “International Glacier Forum” to provide a political and expert platform to present the Roadmap for the Year of Glacier Preservation 2025 and to discuss pressing issues of the glacier melt, impact of climate change and to formulate common actions.
The 6th Government-Youth Dialogue for Central Asia was published. This publication represents a compilation of messages delivered by young people during the 3rd (December 8, 2021, Dushanbe, Tajikistan) and 4th (December 11, 2022, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan) Dialogues between Governments and Youth of Central Asian countries.
Source: UNRCCA
Development and support
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