Representatives from government departments, business companies, and public organizations participated in the first round of stakeholder consultations held in Ashgabat during the second ten days of December. The consultations were aimed at assessing Turkmenistan's progress in implementing SDG 6.5.1. in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Committee for Water Resources, which is the national department responsible for assessing progress in achieving SDG 6.5.1.
The assessment was carried out for the first time in Turkmenistan three years ago using the unified UNEP methodology. The results of the 2020 assessment revealed that Turkmenistan had the highest score of 64 points among all Central Asian countries. However, with the average annual temperature increases in Central Asian countries growing twice as fast as global indicators, an integrated approach to water resources management (IWRM) is becoming increasingly important every day to ensure the socio-economic and environmental well-being of the region.
During the consultations, Turkmen specialists discussed the current state of affairs and the necessary steps to improve the legal and institutional framework. They also discussed measures to enhance management tools and provide financial support for the effective implementation of IWRM. The consultations were organized with the financial support of the GIZ regional project "Climate Risk Management in Central Asia" with methodological and advisory support from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the Danish Hydrological Institute (DHI), and the Global Water Partnership for Central Asia and the Caucasus.
The questionnaire, which was completed based on the results of the discussions, will be submitted by the State Committee for Water Resources of Turkmenistan to the UNEP. The assessment will then be posted on the IWRM data portal.