CC BY
0УДК 32 Aituarova G.A., Tulesheva L.Kh.
Aituarova G.A.
Master's student of the Department of International Relations L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan)
Scientific advisor: Tulesheva L.Kh.
Candidate of Historical Sciences L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan)
THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF WATER SHORTAGE IN CENTRAL ASIA
Аннотация: this article examines the contribution of international and regional organizations to addressing water issues in Central Asia. Key areas of their activities are considered, including financial support for projects, development of interstate cooperation, and implementation of legal mechanisms for water resources management. Particular attention is paid to international legal acts concluded within the framework of such organizations, as well as their impact on water policy in the region. The article analyzes the results achieved and existing challenges for increasing the effectiveness of water initiatives.
Ключевые слова: international organizations, regional organizations, water issues, Central Asia, international acts, Asian Development Bank.
The problem of water scarcity in Central Asia is one of the most pressing issues of recent years. One of the main issues on the agenda of the Central Asian countries is to address the problem of water scarcity and increase cooperation between regional
states. It is worth mentioning the work of international and regional organizations in solving this problem.
The international community is actively involved in addressing the issue of efficient use of shared transboundary water resources in Central Asia. Among them, we can mention the Asian Development Bank's program document "Water for All: ADB Water Policy" adopted in 2011, of which the Central Asian states are members [1].
The program document includes several important strategic directions:
1. Economic growth that includes all segments of the population,
2. Sustainable economic growth,
3. Regional integration.
The private sector, effective governance, gender equality, knowledge-based decision-making, and partnership are considered the driving forces for change. As Haruhiko Kuroda, president and Chairman of the Asian Development Bank, said: "Working in partnership will allow us to accelerate investment and deploy regional knowledge and skills in seven priority areas, improve the standard of living of hundreds of millions of poor people in the region and improve water security for everyone." According to the program document, the seven areas to focus on include rural water services, economically viable urban water development projects, sanitation and Integrated Water Resource Management, Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Preparedness, Leadership and knowledge exchange, and partnership investment.
The above facts are one of the indicators of ADB's position in solving the problem in the water sector. In particular, we can note the strengthening of regional cooperation. In this area, the program of the document pays special attention to financing the water resources sector, attracting investment and strengthening its potential. These works should be carried out jointly by ADB members and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
ADB sees regional cooperation between countries to connect top water management experts with each other to find effective solutions to water resources problems. The program-initiated cooperation between water supply enterprises in Southeast, South and Central Asia, and ADB launched the first innovative water
operator's partnership in Asia with the support of the UN secretary-general's Advisory Council on water and sanitation. This is only part of the work done within the framework of regional cooperation [1].
Another example of regional cooperation between the countries of Central Asia is the Tashkent Declaration on the UN special program for the economies of Central Asia (hereinafter-Speca), signed in Tashkent on March 26, 1998. According to the document, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, The Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) adopt the UN special program for the economies of Central Asia (Speca) and the purpose of the program is to assist the Central Asian states, as well as the countries of Europe and Asia in deepening mutual cooperation [2].
At the first stage of cooperation, the program identified the following as priority areas of cooperation:
1. development of transport infrastructure and simplification of procedures for crossing goods, services and people across state borders,
2. rational and efficient use of energy and water resources of Central Asia,
3. international economic conference on Tajikistan, joint strategy for regional development and attracting foreign investment,
4. regional cooperation on the development of multilateral routes for the supply of hydrocarbons through pipelines to world markets.
This list of priority areas of cooperation can be expanded by mutual agreement of the parties. Funding for this program is approved at the state level and permission to attract funds from international organizations and the private sector is also provided [2].
In 2023, it was 25 years since the adoption of this program (in 2025, the program is 27 years old). In connection with the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the program, the leaders of the Central Asian countries gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan. During the summit, the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his speech focused on cooperation in the field of Ecology. Kassym-Jomart
Tokayev considers it necessary to pay special attention to the issues of Ecology and climate, as well as joint research and applied research on transboundary water resources management and start scientific cooperation in this area. The president of the Republic of Kazakhstan gave the example of the Aral Sea disaster as an example of its origin and called for strengthening long-term international cooperation to solve the current difficult environmental situation in the Caspian Sea and developing a common action plan to improve the situation on the watershed. Other Central Asian countries also spoke at the summit. This shows how much time has passed, and the work continues in sequence within the framework of the program [3].
However, it is impossible to ignore the fact that critics consider the program's funding insufficient to achieve its stated goals and objectives. This fact is difficult to confirm, since there is no official data on the funding of this program. According to the document, as noted above, the program is financed by the participating countries and with the help of international financial organizations and the private sector. Officially, only Azerbaijan announced at the Summit that the country would allocate $ 3.5 million to the SPECA fund [4].
Until now, some important conventions have been adopted at the international level on the issue of efficient use of Water Resources. To mention a few of them, these are the convention on the right to non-navigational use of international watercourses of May 21, 1997, the convention on the transboundary consequences of industrial accidents of March 17, 1992, the convention on transboundary watercourses of March 17, 1992, supplemented by two additional protocols for the protection and use of international lakes (Protocol on water and health, London, 1999 and protocol on compensation for damage caused by the cross-border impact of civil liability and industrial accidents, Kiev, 2003).
Despite many international legal acts, only a few countries have signed these conventions. If we consider it in the context of our article, most of the international treaties for the countries of Central Asia were signed only by Kazakhstan. Given the fact that international legal acts are superior to state ones, many countries, including the countries of Central Asia, are concerned about the contradictions in legal norms.
Interstate treaties and international conventions are mutual obligations of countries in which states undertake to comply with certain requirements regulated by a legal act [5].
But here it is necessary to take into account the second aspect, cited by the candidate of Legal Sciences Zh.M.Amanzholov, that many countries of Central Asia consider international conventions to be exclusively fundamental conventions. For example, according to the expert, the 1997 International Convention on the right to non-navigational use of water flows contains general norms and principles that states must adhere to when carrying out unilateral activities related to the use of interstate water flows [5].
Despite the existing work and achievements, on the basis of the above analysis, we can mention several facts that hinder the development of solutions to the problem of Water Resources Protection:
1. Many programs are implemented within the framework of international and regional programs, which are often funded by participating members. Attracting investment in regional programs is not at a very high level. Sometimes, due to the large scale of the tasks set, the financing of such large projects requires strengthening the interaction of regional states and international financial organizations.
2. The lack of funding is mainly due to the long-term tasks set. The wear and tear of technology, the rapid development of water-saving technologies and the lack of interaction of the best personnel from different countries to solve the problem are more extensive than the tasks set. However, it should be noted that in this matter, such professions as water supply and sanitation, water management are considered less popular and have little prospects among young people. Therefore, States should ensure the spread of water management specialties among young people at the level of their internal affairs.
3. Ignoring current information from countries on the water sector by international organizations. International organizations may plan to implement various projects and activities in the water sector, however, without complete information, such attempts can lead to failure, since Strategic Performance Indicators often do not
coincide with the available data. For example, the promising project of the Global Environmental Fund, implemented from 1997 to 2003, was not completed, since it became clear that the real needs of the Central Asian states for water resources in the future will exceed the available capacities by 1.5 times [6].
In conclusion, within the framework of the article, the work of the countries of Central Asia at the International and regional levels was shown. However, since the time when the USSR side and the Central Asian countries established their borders, the states that have just gained independence have faced some tasks. For the countries of Central Asia, which have no access to the ocean in recent years, one of the most pressing problems is the ability to use Water Resources Efficiently and economically. Every year the need for the development of water-saving technologies becomes more and more obvious. Modern technologies, especially artificial intelligence, are developing rapidly, opening up new opportunities for solving environmental and water problems.
Significant work is being done in this area by international and regional organizations. However, there are unresolved issues that require additional attention. For the effective solution of these problems, a planned and systematic movement is necessary, from the definition of the problem to its practical solution.
The main directions of water policy should be discussed at the meetings of the heads of State of Central Asia, and today the leaders of the regions demonstrate their readiness to enter into a dialogue, presenting the positions of their countries on this difficult issue. It is important to understand that the accumulated problems will not be solved overnight, but consistent steps in this direction can ensure a sustainable water future for the region.
СПИСОК ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ:
1. Asian Development Bank. Water resources financing: from liabilities to results [electronic resource]. - 2014. - link: https://w.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/153606/infocus-water-financing-ru.pdf (View date: 10.02.2025);
2. declaration: Tashkent Declaration on a special program for the economy of Central Asia (Speca) [electronic resource]. - 1998. - link: http://w.cawater-info.net/library/rus/speca.pdf (View date: 10.02.2025);
3. President of The Republic of Kazakhstan. Speech at the SPEKA summit [electronic resource]. - Official website of the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2023. https: //w. akorda. kz/kz/prezident-buu-nyn-ortalyk-aziya-ekonomikalaryna-arnalgan-arnayy-bagdarlamasyna-speka-sammitinde-soz-soyledi-24105929 (View date: 11.02.2025);
4. President of Azerbaijan. Speech at the SPEKA summit [electronic resource]. -Official website of the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2023. https://president.az/ru/articles/view/62336 (View date: 12.02.2025);
5. Amanzholov Zh.M. the role and significance of multilateral international treaties in ensuring water security in Central Asia // Bulletin of the Institute of legislation and law of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2007. pp. 55-64;
6. Boyarkina O.A. The role of international organizations in solving water problems in Central Asia // Eurasian Union of Scientists, 2016
