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International High Level Conference “Strengthening transboundary water cooperation in Central Asia: the role of international water law and of the UNECE Water Convention” and the Workshop on the Protocol on Water and Health

25 - 27 October 2011
Almaty Kazakhstan

The International High Level Conference and the Workshop are organized in the framework of the UNECE Programme “Regional Dialogue and Cooperation on Water Resources Management in Central Asia”, supported by the Government of Germany through GIZ, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Logistic support is provided by the Executive Board of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in the Republic of Kazakhstan (EB IFAS).

The International High Level Conference will take place on 25 October. The Workshop will start on 26 October in the morning and will conclude on 27 October at lunch time.

The International High Level Conference “Strengthening transboundary water cooperation in CentralAsia: the role of international water law and the UNECE Water Convention” is the concluding event of a series of capacity building activities held in 2009-2011 in the countries of Central Asia. The objectives of the International High Level Conference are the following:

  • Provide a platform for an in-depth discussion of the content of key legal obligations under international water law, including their application to specific areas of water cooperation, such as water quantity allocation and water quality protection; management and safety of hydrotechnical facilities; planning new activities in transboundary basins; exchange of information; impacts of climate change on water resources and their use; protection and conservation of water-related ecosystems, etc.;
  • Clarify the role of the UNECE Water Convention in international law and discuss and explain its provisions, in particular in relation to the mechanisms for cooperation;
  • Review the opportunities to use international water law and the UNECE Water Convention for developing bilateral and regional cooperation in Central Asia.

The Workshop on the Protocol on Water and Health is organised in response to the interest demonstrated by Central Asian countries to this international legal instrument, which aims specifically at bringing together the water, environment and health sectors and facilitating the achievement of water-related Millennium Development Goals. The objectives of the Workshop are the following:

  • Explain the content of the key provisions of the Protocol on Water and Health;
  • Present the process of setting targets and targets dates under the Protocol as a mean to develop integrated cross-sectoral strategies;
  • Exchange the experience gained by other countries in legal, administrative and technical aspects of implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health, in particular with regard to cooperation of water, environment and health sectors;
  • Discuss opportunities for the use of the Protocol in the countries of Central Asia.

Over 60 participants will take part in the International High Level Conference and in the Workshop. This will include Central Asian delegations, non-governmental organizations and academia, as well as international organizations active in water and environment in Central Asia.

The working languages of the event will be Russian and English.
 

 

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 

Documents

Document Title ENG RUS

Agenda

PDF PDF
Information Notice PDF PDF

List of participants

PDF  
Registration form WORD WORD

Report

PDF PDF

Background documents

Document Title ENG RUS
   

Presentations

Presentation Title ENG RUS
International water law – setting the scene for long term sustainable and mutually beneficial cooperation,
Mr. Sergei Vinogradov, University of Dundee, UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science
- PDF
Balancing different water uses in a transboundary basin,
Mr. Alexandros Kolliopoulos, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Deputy Chair of the Legal Board of UNECE Water Convention
PDF PDF
The UNECE Water Convention: obligations and practical application,
Ms. Francesca Bernardini, Secretary to the Water Convention, UNECE
PDF PDF
Analyzing the two United Nations Conventions on water: the relationship between the 1992 UNECE Water Convention and the 1997 UN Watercourses Convention,
Prof. Attila Tanzi, University of Bologna, Chair of the Legal Board of the UNECE Water Convention
PDF PDF
Transboundary water cooperation through specific agreements and joint bodies,
Ms. Iulia Trombitcaia, UNECE
- PDF
Planning new activities in transboundary basins: the role of Water and Espoo Conventions,
Ms. Francesca Bernardini, Secretary to the Water Convention, and Mr. Nick Bonvoisin, Secretary to the Espoo Convention, UNECE
PDF PDF
Support and mutual assistance: at heart of UNECE Water Convention,
Ms. Francesca Bernardini, Secretary to the Water Convention, UNECE
PDF PDF
Realizing the basic human rights to water and health,
Ms. Enkhtsetseg Shinee, WHO - Europe
PDF PDF
The Protocol on Water and Health – a regional response to the global challenges and a practical tool to implement water-related Millennium Development Goals,
Ms. Francesca Bernardini, UNECE
PDF PDF
Guidelines on setting targets, evaluation of progress and reporting,
Ms. Nataliya Nikiforova, UNECE
PDF PDF
Implementation of the Protocol and target setting in the Republic of Moldova, challenges and lessons learned,
Ms. Valentina Tapis, Deputy Head, Ecological Inspectorate, the Republic of Moldova
- PDF
Planned activities on target setting process in the Kyrgyz Republic,
Mr. Erkin Orolbaev, expert, Kyrgyz Republic
- PDF
Obligations under the Protocol related to surveillance of water-related disease,
Ms. Enkhtsetseg Shinee, WHO-Europe
PDF PDF
Surveillance of and response to water-related disease in Belarus, challenges and lessons learned,
Ms. Irina Zastenskaya, Deputy Director, Republican Scientific-Practical Centre of Hygiene, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus
- PDF
Cross-sector cooperation – the key to cooperation on water and health,
Mr. Mihaly Kadar, Head of department at the National Institute of Environmental Health, Hungary
PDF PDF
Public participation in the implementation of the Protocol and in setting targets in the Republic of Moldova and lessons learned from the process,
Ms. Tatiana Siniaeva, ECO-Tiras
- PDF
Water Quality in Central Asia: project outcomes,
Ms. Yekaterina Strikeleva, Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC)
- PDF
Working to improve access water and sanitation: UNDP perspective,
Ms. Natalia Alexeeva, Water Programme Coordinator for Central Asia, UNDP, Regional Centre for Europe and CIS
PDF -
The role and experiences of the National Policy Dialogues under EU Water Initiative,
Ms. Iulia Trombitcaia, UNECE
- PDF