29.03.2016-04.04.2016 • No: 61 COOPERATION OF THE CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES ON THE ISSUE OF REVIVAL OF THE ARAL SEA In 1960s the Aral Sea was the fourth largest tion of the water level and fish species is organizations ICAS and IFAS were joined sea in the world. However, over the years, the crucial for economic recovery of the Kyzylor- into IFAS to implement the Aral Sea Basin sea has been gradually shrinking, leading to da region. Program and was managed by the Deputy one of the greatest global environmental Meanwhile, the situation in the Large Aral has Prime Ministers of the Central Asian coun- catastrophes of the desiccation of the Aral deteriorated even further. The Large Aral Sea tries. One of the main goals of the agreement Sea. Agricultural water withdrawal and con- split into two separate lobes: the deeper is to increase the water inflow into the Aral struction of major dams is the main reason western lobe and the shallower and unstable Sea. Recently, in the framework of the Sum- behind the water shortage in the Aral Sea eastern lobe. While the water level at the mit of the Central Asian Heads of State held basin. While some areas were historically western lobe fluctuates seasonally depending in April 2009, a number of agreements and irrigated, most of the irrigation areas have on the amount of precipitation and the memorandums on transboundary water issues been a result of the USSR’s intense agricul- groundwater discharge, the eastern lobe were adopted by the Executive Committee of tural practices in Central Asia. As part of the disappeared in 2014. While some believe that the IFAS. A draft of the third Aral Sea Basin Soviet five-year plans, the irrigation area in the main reason behind the situation at the Program (ASBP-3) with a total cost of $2.5 the Aral Sea basin had increased from 4.5 Large Aral is inefficient irrigation practices billion was prepared in the course of the million hectares (ha) in 1960 to 7 million ha run by the government of Uzbekistan, some Summit and the final version was adopted in in 1980. Since gaining their independence the critics argue that it was the Kokaral dam, 2012. The project is aimed at an improvement irrigation area of the Central Asian states have which had negatively affected the Large Aral of the livelihood of the local population while not changed significantly. Currently, the area leading to further lowering of water in this considering interests of all Central Asian equipped for irrigation occupies 8.4 million half of the sea. It is important to maintain states. ha. By the early 1980s only 7 cubic kilometers water level of the western lobe in order to Besides, the Climate Adaptation and Mitiga- (km3) out of an estimated total of 118.43 km3 preserve the ecological system. Meanwhile, it tion Program for the Aral Sea Basin was of water reached the Aral Sea, while the rest is also crucial to restore the water level of the approved by the World Bank in November was used up for irrigation purposes. Over eastern lobe. 2015. The program is aimed to improve 90% of the agricultural area in the Aral Sea Transboundary water cooperation between the regional cooperation in coping with climate Basin is artificially watered. Therefore, only upstream (Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) and the change. The first phase of the project financed small amount of water reaches the Aral Sea, downstream (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and by the World Bank was initially planned to be which exacerbates the issue of desiccation of Uzbekistan) countries is essential in order to implemented in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and the sea and attracts attention of the entire overcome the catastrophe. The countries have Uzbekistan. Activities of the second phase world. been putting efforts towards joint actions on were planned to be implemented in the re- Even though the Aral Sea basin includes all solving the issue of the Aral Sea since their maining Central Asian states, Kazakhstan and Central Asian states and is fed by two major independence. Moreover, international donor Turkmenistan. However, the bank approved rivers in the region, Syr Darya and Amu organizations are often involved in projects an allocation of funds worth $38 million from Darya that mainly originate in the territories regarding water issues in the region. the International Development Association, of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the sea itself is In this light, firstly, the Agreement on Coop- $9 million of which is allocated to Tajikistan, divided between two Central Asian states, eration in the Management, Utilization and $14 million to Uzbekistan and $15 million to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Therefore, Protection of Interstate Water Resources was other regional activities, omitting Kyrgyzstan cooperation between these two states on water signed by the Central Asian states in 1992. from participation in the first phase of the issues is important, especially since the Aral The agreement was aimed at jointly solving program. Sea is not a single water body anymore, the Aral Sea issues. The Interstate Commis- Despite the numerous efforts on restoring the nowadays there are two parts of the sea: sion for Water Management Coordination was Aral Sea by the means of water cooperation Northern, located on the territory of Kazakh- established in the framework of the document between the Central Asian countries, not stan (Small Aral) and larger Southern part in order to manage the issues related to the much progress has been reached. Some be- located in Uzbekistan (Large Aral). agreement. Also, the Agreement on Joint lieve that the lack of regional coordination, In 2005 Kazakhstan in cooperation with the Actions for Addressing the Problems of the while implementing the projects, is one of the World Bank built an eight-mile long Kokaral Aral Sea and its Coastal Area, Improving of main reasons behind the failure to achieve dam in order to trap water from the Syr Darya the Environment and Ensuring the Social and successful results. Even though there are River within the Small Aral and to restore the Economic Development of the Aral Sea various international organizations assisting water level of the sea. The project, which cost Region was signed in 1993. The coordination the Central Asian states to improve the water $64 million has proven itself to be efficient. of the agreement was conducted by the newly management system, a common center that As a result of the project, the water level in established Interstate Council for the Aral Sea could systematically manage, monitor and the Small Aral has increased from 38 to 42 (ICAS). The funding was managed by the enforce water management laws, regulations meters above the sea level, while the volume International Fund for the Aral Sea (IFAS), and projects does not exist. Duplication of of water has increased from 15 to 27 cubic which includes all five countries and is put efforts and as a result, reduced effectiveness kilometers. The shoreline has also shifted forward by the President of Kazakhstan, of programs, and inadequate distribution of from 100 km to 12 km away from the Aralsk Nursultan Nazarbayev. A long term Concept funds are some of the examples of conse- town. The project even reinstated fishery in and a short term Program, both targeted quences of weak enforcement mechanisms. It the sea. It has been reported that since the towards solution of the Aral Sea crisis, were can be concluded that in order to restore the beginning of the first phase of the North Aral adopted in 1994. The Agreement on Joint Aral Sea it is important for the Central Asian Project exports of fish products have in- Actions to Address the Problems of the Aral states to cooperate on the transboundary water creased by 3.6 times. The economy of the Sea and Socio-Economic Development of the issues and to coordinate the efforts. local population has highly suffered from the Aral Sea basin was signed in 1996 by the situation at the Aral Sea. Therefore, restora- same five independent countries. The two Written by Saule Akhmetkaliyeva, Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan general command have been formed ernment, which will disburse a $2 Politics, Foreign Affairs and Security within the exercise framework. million grant. ñ The Senate of Uzbekistan adopted a Economy, Finance and Energy ñ The President of Azerbaijan’s state Law on Parliamentary control to en- oil company SOCAR, Rovnag Ab- hance Parliament’s role in the gov- ñ Azerbaijan’s state oil company dullayev, informed about the plans of ernmental system. According to the SOCAR stated that it would the shareholders of the Southern Gas Chairman of the Senate’s Committee additionally produce over 6,900 tons Corridor (SGC) project to raise addi- on Legislation and Judiciary Issues, of oil and 6.2 million cubic meters of tional $2 billion from international Batyr Matmuratov, the main purpose gas daily as a result of a finance institutions before late 2016 of the law was to create integral leg- commissioning of the well at the for a period of 20 years at very low islation system on implementation of offshore Oil Rocks field. interest rates in order to fund the pro- parliamentary control over execution ñ According to the Ministry of Oil and ject. of requirements of the Constitution Gas of Turkmenistan, Malaysian ñ According to the Ministry of Foreign and laws, and to improve efficiency company Petronas Carigali will soon Affairs of Turkmenistan, within the and accountability of public authori- start drilling the first well on the framework of the Turkmen – Rus- ties. Garagol Deniz West field located in sian business forum held in Ash- ñ Three major Ukrainian parliamentary the Turkmen sector of the Caspian gabat, companies and economic enti- parties, Petro Poroshenko Bloc, Peo- Sea.