Coordination Meeting with international development partners

Astana, 18 September 2024 – The Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) held a Coordination Meeting with international development partners.
The event was opened by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Bozumbaev, along with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan S.Ziyozoda, the Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Ganiev, the Minister of Water Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Khamraev, the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to the Republic of Kazakhstan D.Dyushekeev, and the Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.Nurzhigitov.
The meeting was attended by leaders and representatives from over 30 international organizations, including the European Union, the World Bank, the OSCE, the OECD, the Eurasian Development Bank, UN agencies, USAID, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the French Development Agency (AFD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), as well as representatives from the Kazakh Agency for International Development (KazAID), the Sovereign Wealth Fund "Samruk-Kazyna," and others.
During the event, chaired by the Chairman of the IFAS Executive Committee A.Orazbay, discussions focused on the implementation of current and new projects and programs in the Aral Sea basin, as well as the plans and initiatives of the international development partners in support of the implementation of the Action Program for Assistance to the Countries of the Aral Sea Basin (ASBP-4) and the Regional Environmental Programme for Sustainable Development in Central Asia (REP4SD CA).
Representatives from the World Bank made a presentation about the implementation of the fourth phase of the Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP-4) and the Bank's contributions to improving the situation in the Aral Sea basin.
The international development partners expressed their strong commitment and interest in further collaboration with the IFAS Executive Committee, as well as their readiness to propose new projects for joint implementation in the Aral region.
Additionally, representatives from the founding states of IFAS informed about their governments' efforts to support the implementation of ASBP-4 and REP4SD CA.
At the end of the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the IFAS Executive Committee and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).