The Aral Sea Basin Programme (ASBP-2) was formally endorsed by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) on 28 August 2003. Prior to that, on 6 October 2002, during a summit held in Dushanbe, the Heads of State of the IFAS founding countries adopted a decision to develop a new programme, building on the achievements of the first phase (ASBP-1), and approved its main strategic directions.
In line with this decision, the Presidents of the Central Asian States mandated the Executive Committee of IFAS, in collaboration with the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) and the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (ICSD), and in consultation with the governments of the founding States, to develop the “Programme of Concrete Actions to Improve the Environmental and Socio-Economic Situation in the Aral Sea Basin for the Period 2003–2010” (ASBP-2). The finalized Programme incorporated 14 priority areas grouped into four thematic components: water management, socio-economic development, environmental protection, and environmental monitoring.
ASBP-2 became the principal strategic document guiding regional efforts to address environmental degradation and socio-economic challenges in the Aral Sea Basin during the 2003–2009 period. It was developed through a multilateral partnership framework and reflected the contributions and proposals received from all relevant stakeholders across Central Asian countries.
During the implementation of the Programme of Concrete Actions (ASBP-2), and through the execution of individual projects by the IFAS participating States, approximately two million US dollars were utilized. Notably, donor assistance accounted for less than one percent of the total funding.
Key priority areas of ASBP-2 included:
- Development of coordinated mechanisms for integrated water resources management in the Aral Sea Basin
- Rehabilitation of water infrastructure and improvement of water and land use efficiency
- Improvement of environmental monitoring systems
- Programme for disaster risk reduction
- Programme to support the resolution of social issues in the region
- Strengthening the material, technical and legal capacities of interstate institutions
- Development and implementation of regional and national programmes for environmental protection in the water source zones
- Development and implementation of regional and national programmes for the rational use of water across economic sectors in Central Asian countries
- Development and implementation of an international programme for the sanitary and environmental improvement of settlements and ecosystems in the Aral Sea region
- Development of an international programme to restore ecological stability and biological productivity
- A concept for the sustainable development of the Aral Sea Basin
- A regional action programme to combat desertification
- Development of wetlands in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers
- Rational use of mineralized drainage waters
This comprehensive framework aimed to address both the environmental degradation and the social and economic needs of the populations affected by the Aral Sea crisis.