Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Akylbek Japarov held a meeting of the National Council for Water and Land Resources.
The head of the Cabinet noted that if earlier water resources were used by humans only for consumption, now water is an important factor in economic, social development and preservation of a single ecological system.
«The global challenges associated with climate change and growth of the world’s population require urgent measures to manage water resources. The National Council for Water and Land Resources was created to solve these problems,» Akylbek Japarov said.
He recalled that the reform of the water sector was underway. It requires effective decision making.
The Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision Dinara Kutmanova presented the draft National Water Strategy of Kyrgyzstan until 2040.
«The water resources of our country are completely formed on the territory of the republic, unlike other countries of Central Asia. Almost all of our rivers have a high energy potential. However, there are a number of problems associated with both the imperfection of the legislation and the lack of qualified personnel,» the minister said.
Akylbek Japarov criticized the proposed strategy, noting that the document lacks a comprehensive assessment of the prospects of the republic’s water resources, in particular, the balance of their availability. In addition, it does not provide recommendations on priority areas for water management, especially in the context of hydropower opportunities.
«Before creation of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, a quite feasible task was set: to develop mechanisms for monitoring and accounting of all natural resources of the republic. A year has passed — I do not see any accounting or control. You need a detailed action plan, specify your actions. Refine the strategy together with the Ministry of Agriculture,» Akylbek Japarov instructed.
