Expected results improved capacity for developing and

Expected results :
 Improved capacity for developing and implementing water legislation, with international co-
operation among high-level officials and decision makers;
 Assessment of Kazakhstan’s dependence on trans-boundary waters and recommendations
for the development of future national policies and relations with neighbouring countries;
and
 Assessment of the situation in the basin of the River Kigach, part of the Volga basin, and
that of the Ural River, as a basis for further developing trans-boundary co-operation.
Deliverables include:
 Presentations and hand-outs for seminars;
 Agendas, participant registration lists, minutes and resolutions of seminars;
 An assessment report on Kazakhstan’s dependence on trans-boundary waters;
 Recommendations for improving national policies on trans-boundary waters; and
 An assessment report on the basin of the River Kigach.
Output 1.2: Review and improvement of the institutional basis for river basin management
(UNECE)
Progress has been made in establishing river basin management and related plans in Kazakhstan:
essential instruments in managing green-orientation. River basin administrations have been
established, as have basin councils, offering an advisory role and involving key local stakeholders.
Councils are to evaluate the water basin situation, providing advice to authorities regarding sound
and sustainable use of water, and assisting in developing corresponding Action Plans.
Currently, basin administrations are understaffed and their rights and obligations are not clearly
established. Council powers could be strengthened, to improve the quality of Basin Management
Plans, so that they can fully contribute to the implementation of the Green Economy Concept: How
do they relate to an overall development strategy? How do they promote water efficiency and
innovation? Are they feasible and financially realistic? How are plans implemented in practice?
Activities:
 Reviewing current experience of Basin Management Plans in Kazakhstan, focusing on one
pilot basin (to be selected during the Inception Phase).
 Developing overall policy recommendations, building on international good practice.
Recommendations will be developed to promote sufficient and sustainable management of
water resources at basin level, laying out the responsibilities of river basin administrations
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and institutional and legal changes. Proposals will be made to strengthen the institutional
framework, for the better involvement of basin councils (role, composition and tools). There
will be recommendations to ensure coherence of Basin Management Plans and a study will
be conducted to identify current obstacles to council efficiency. A national-level conference
for policy-makers will be organized, to present key policy recommendations.