Through two Swiss-supported high-level events (Basel I Conference in November 2014 and Astana Conference within the World Expo in June 2017) the five countries of Central Asia expressed the need for the establishment of a Dialogue Platform in Central Asia to exchange on commonly-identified regional priorities around water: joint management of infrastructure, data sharing and water quality.
Switzerland strongly believes that more political engagement should be invested in establishing water as an avenue for cooperation aiming at sustainable development and stability. Through its long-standing presence in Central Asia, Switzerland has been actively supporting the strengthening of national frameworks for integrated water resources management and the enhancement of regional water cooperation over the last decades. Taking up the values of the Blue Peace, the Blue Peace Central Asia (BPCA) initiative, came to life.
A political process, by setting up a dialogue platform to facilitate regional exchanges and decision-making aiming at improving joint water management
A more operational technical approach to address specific issues around the three identified priorities, by developing smart water practices for sustainable and equitable joint water
An educational track geared towards strengthening the youth of Central Asia as agents of change, and preparing the next generation of water professionals
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), serving as Secretariat to the BPCA Dialogue Platform, supports the political process by facilitating meetings of the decision-makers and practitioners in the water and water-related sectors of the region, in the form of thematic consultations, technical working groups, exchange visits and capacity building activities to establish the cooperative mode for the regional interactions
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
