The Role of Donors in Addressing Water Problems in Central Asia
Annotatsiya
Abstract This paper examines the role of donors in addressing a complex set of water‐related challenges in Central Asia and draws some lessons with a view to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of development assistance in the region. In the first years following independence, collaboration between the republics was strongly supported by development agencies under the leadership of the World Bank. This effort was marked by the establishment of the Interstate Fund of saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (SIC ICWC) in Central Asia, preparation and signing of interstate agreements in 1993 and 1994, as well as development of a regional water strategy. Despite significant donor contribution, the last several years have also demonstrated weaknesses in donors' activities in the region, which is especially discouraging, given the increased tensions over competing uses of water for hydropower upstream and irrigation and ecosystem demands downstream. Among the main weaknesses are: lack of sound coordination; avoidable involvement of international experts and ignorance of local capacity; cut in support of regional water‐related projects. Given the above, donors should rethink their development assistance policies in the region in order to encourage more active interaction between the countries for the benefit of people and the environment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.