Institutional Cooperation on Water Resources Management in Central Asia

The mandate, structure and functioning of Central Asian institutions of water resources management reflect the historic circumstances of their creation and evolution. Established on the remnants of the Soviet system of water resources management, the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) conserved the priority of irrigation over the energy sector and environment protection. Despite clearly expressed political will by the 2009 IFAS Summit, member states were unable to improve the obsolete legal basis and institutional weaknesses of the Fund. IFAS should undergo a thorough reform to enable Central Asian states to effectively address present and future challenges, like climate change adaptation.