Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, 28 March 2025 – Representatives of ICSD took part in the Regional Validation Workshop of the Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative. The event, organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), was held with the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan and brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The workshop aimed to review the results of the initial phase of the BPCA initiative and align planned activities with the key priorities of national and regional stakeholders.
Photocredit to ICSD archives
During the first session, participants were presented with an overview of the achievements of the Blue Peace Central Asia initiative since 2017, as well as its development prospects for 2025–2029. In the subsequent discussions, three key thematic areas (pillars) of the initiative were addressed: hydrodiplomacy and water cooperation in Central Asia, covering issues related to water quality, climate change adaptation, ecosystem stability, and data management; economic benefits of water cooperation and financing mechanisms, focusing on best practices in river basin management and the selection criteria for sub-basins; capacity building, youth engagement, and gender equality in the water sector, with an emphasis on academic cooperation, youth participation, and the promotion of women's leadership in water governance.
The workshop concluded with a summary of discussions and an outline of the next steps towards strengthening regional water cooperation.
Photocredit to ICSD archives
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The Blue Peace Central Asia initiative seeks to foster regional cooperation for sustainable water management in Central Asia. The project is implemented by IWMI, IUCN, and CAREC, with the support of the Government of Switzerland.
For more information, please visit: Blue Peace Central Asia.