ASTANA (TCA) — Sustainable water governance with a focus on advanced education standards in the water sector was the focus of an OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on 16 May that took place at Kazakhstan’s Parliament in Astana.
The event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in close cooperation with the Parliament of Kazakhstan and the Executive Board of the International Foundation for the Aral Sea, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia for some 60 participants including 25 deputies from the Parliament’s Agrarian Natural Resources Committee as well as experts and government officials from water and agricultural entities.
“It is already clear that the 21st century has been marked by a sharp decline in the condition of water resources. Therefore, it is very important to take a careful approach in this sphere,” said Vladimir Bozhko, a member of the Mazhilis (lower chamber) of Parliament. “Today’s event aims to make the government aware of the relevant issues and take appropriate measures to prevent the emergence of problems in the water sector, including through raising the level of national expertise.”
The meeting aimed to promote an advanced national framework in the water governance sector by introducing international education standards. Participants also highlighted the current challenges in the water education sector and proposed specific measures to improve relevant curricula and legislation.
“The OSCE finds it of the utmost importance to support a new generation of young specialists with modern skills and knowledge in the area of water governance,” said Ambassador György Szabó, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “The OSCE will further continue promoting activities aimed at assuring educational standards are in line with best international practices in the sustainable management of water resources.”
