Central Asian experts discuss regional water issues in Almaty
On August 27 Almaty is hosting the session of working group for the development of regional agreement under "Facilitation of partnership for dam security in Central Asia" project, funded by European economic commission of UN (EEC), Asia-plus reports.
The experts are going to discuss the way to strengthen the security of over 300 big dams and other regulating hydraulic works in the region, mainly located at trans-border rivers. EEC pays attention to the fact that the abnormal end of technically outdated dams may cause catastrophic consequence in the countries, located down the river.
According to UN news center, Central Asian countries, not including Uzbekistan, do not have appropriate constitutional and legislative base, regulating the security of dams. There are also no procedures of warning the countries, located in the same basin, about the wrecks and emergencies at dams.
In this concern, EEC recommended interested republics to establish and reconsider national norms on security of dams’ exploitation as soon as possible with the purpose of harmonization and facilitation to development of regional cooperation, the press-release notes.
Kazakhstan today says that prior the meeting of energy sector experts in Almaty, during Kazakh-Uzbek consultations Astana and Tashkent admitted the necessity to develop mechanisms of joint use of regional water resources. At the same day, Asia-plus informed that Abdutalip Akhmetov. Kazakh Ambassador in Tajikistan, declared the readiness of Kazakhstan to support the projects in hydropower engineering and participate in the construction of Nurabad and other hydroelectric plants in Tajiksitan.
It has to be mentioned that Central Asian republics have some sort of opposition in the water resource management issue. Water-rich Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have limited natural resources. On the other hand, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan possess oil and gas but face lack of water. Specifically, Tashkent is very concerned about the construction of 347-meter high dam of Rogun hydropower plant in Tajikistan and series of hydropower plants in Kyrgyzstan: Uzbekistan is affirmed that the launch of these projects will cause ecological disaster for the regional rivers.
EU also made its position clear: Pierre Morel, EU representative for Central Asia, asked the regional republics to abstain "from building enormous dams, as it was done in USSR, because they are dangerous for the environment". The diplomat believes that in order to satisfy the demand for energy "the republics should develop small hydropower plants that need less investment and less time for construction".