On May 20, 2025, the 3rd meeting of the Zarafshan River Basin Council was held, organized by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia ( CAREC ) in consortium with Caritas Switzerland within the framework of the implementation of the first phase (2023-2027) of the project “Climate-resilient integrated water resources management in the Zarafshan River Basin”. The project is funded by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and is implemented by a consortium of Caritas Switzerland and CAREC.
The meeting aimed to discuss key issues of water resources management in the Zarafshan River basin, including climate resilience, the current situation in terms of the ecological state of the basin and the growing demand for water resources and competition between sectors, institutional and legal aspects, as well as best practices applied in the coordination of integrated and sectoral river basin management. The focus was on strengthening the role of the Basin Council and implementing its decisions into practical activities.
At the beginning of the event, the Chairman of the Zarafshan River Basin Council Solijon Khamrayev and the representative of the Ministry of Water Resources Birodar Burkhonzhonov spoke about the importance of basin management for the sustainable development of the region. Ilkhom Juraev from the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change shared the environmental aspects of water resources management, Mr. Andrin Fink , Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Embassy noted the importance of the creation and institutional development of the River Basin Council as a potential institution in the management and intersectoral cooperation in water issues and regional cooperation in Central Asia with the river basins of neighboring countries along the Zarafshan River and the involvement of women in water resources management, Dr. Shinan Kassam , Country Director of Caritas Switzerland in Uzbekistan, emphasized the importance of international cooperation and project assistance in the development of this institution in river basin management and capacity building.
During the meeting, the Chairman of the BSR Zarafshan S. Khamraev presented the work done and the plans of the council. “ Our goal is to create an effective water resources management system that ensures sustainable development of the region and minimizes the impact of climate change ,” he noted.
CAREC Country Director in Uzbekistan Nodirbek Rakhimzhanov spoke about the interaction between RBS and the National Coordination Council of the project. “ The success of the project depended on close cooperation between all levels of management – from local councils to national structures ,” said Nodirbek Rakhimzhanov.
The head of the project implementation team, Rasulov Azizjon, and the representative of the consortium / senior technical advisor of the project, Anarbekov Oytura, presented how the project “Climate-resilient integrated water resources management in the Zarafshan River Basin” contributes to supporting the work of the Zarafshan River Basin Council, as well as what challenges we face and require joint solutions based on the principles of integrated water resources management and the “water-energy-food security-ecology” (nexus) approach. During the meeting, the best practices of the Padshaata River Basin Council in Uzbekistan, the formation of a working group to develop a basin plan were discussed. Then the participants were involved in group work and presented the results of their work.
in a presentation format. In addition, the list of BC members was discussed and updated for submission to the BC Governing Council. The meeting concluded with the approval of the minutes of the 3rd BC meeting and closing remarks by representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan.
The event was attended by representatives of the Zarafshan , Syrdarya-Zarafshan , Lower Zarafshan , Amu-Bukhara
and Amu-Kashkadarya basin irrigation systems departments,
as well as the Zarafshan main system operation department
and members of the National Coordination Committee of the project, managers of the national water resources management project financed by the Government of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, representatives of the project of the German Society for International Cooperation, representatives of Caritas Switzerland and CAREC in Uzbekistan.
