Uzbekistan attends OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum

In his speech, the Uzbek official expressed concern with the projects on construction of large hydro power stations at high mountainous and seismic active zones in Central Asia. He said that the projects can lead to total water deficit, environmental, economic and social consequences.

He said that there are potential risks of natural and man-caused catastrophes, including flooding of cities and settlements in downstream of rivers of the region. This will negatively impact ecologic, bio diversity and living environment of millions of people.

“We are all witnesses of the fact that the thoughtless regulation of natural watercourses and the construction of large rivers of the region of large-scale waterworks led to one of the largest in the modern history of planetary ecological disasters,” he said.

He said that Aral Sea crisis led to water deficit, fall of drinking water quality, land degradation, worsening of bio diversity, climate change, fall of life standards, etc.

Uzbek officials also said that food security is also becoming vital issue as the growth of production of food products is lower that growth of population and its needs.

Bakhtiyor Abdusamatov said that Uzbekistan carried out wide-scale programmes to modernize irrigation and drainage infrastructure, as well as introduction of water saving technologies, diversification of agriculture production. He said this helped to cut water offtake by 20% and per capita – twice. The land-improvement works were conducted at 1.2 million irrigated lands. He added that introduction of modern agriculture methodologies helped to double production in agro-industrial complex.

He recalled that Uzbekistan hosted an international conference on mitigating consequences of the Aral Sea Basin in Urgench in 2014. Within the event, Uzbekistan signed agreements for realization of regional and national projects for US$3 billion, which will allow to solve the most acute problems of the Aral Sea Basin.

Uzbekistan committed to further development of constructive and creative cooperation in the use of transboundary water resources.

Uzbek official said that international conventions on water use should be implemented for fair and rational use of water resources in the region and interest of all sides should be taken into account during joint use of water resources.

Abdusamatov noted that the countries of the region should realize measures on mitigating negative consequence of Aral Sea catastrophe, including reconstruction of irrigation and drainage system, create and develop water reservoirs at Amudarya river, prevent desertification, preserve and rehabilitate bio diversity, etc.

The Uzbek officials underlined that it is necessary to develop system of water resources monitoring and strengthen technological and instrumental base of the state monitoring services, equipping them with modern methods and tools of water metering.

He said that it is also necessary to boost activities on introduction of water saving technologies in irrigation, as well as providing clean water to population of the Central Asia.

Within the forum, the Uzbek delegation also presented project proposals, determined by the governmental resolution “On complex programme for mitigation of consequences of Aral catastrophe, rehabilitation and social-economic development of Aral Sea Basin region for 2015-2019”. The participants also received information on measures adopted in Uzbekistan on water management, introduction of water saving technologies, protection of environment and decreasing risks of natural disasters.