The workshop was a follow up to a number of discussions between representatives of the four Asian Regional Water Partnerships (RWPs) of Caucasus-Central Asia, China, South Asia, and Southeast Asia held since 2014 on how to work more closely together in areas of common interest to the region. One thematic area clearly identified by the RWPs was the issue of floods, which affects all regions.
The workshop was aimed at promoting the exchange of experiences, knowledge sharing, capacity building, project development, and other forms of cooperation on the common issue of floods and ways to better manage them. The workshop also represented a first step in establishing a framework for cooperation between the RWPs on further topics of shared interest – such as climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, Sustainable Development Goals, and urban water management.
Nearly 50 participants attended the workshop, which ended in an agreement to develop a memorandum of understanding and a framework for regional cooperation, as well as a joint regional project on flood management.