The Aral Sea Basin Assistance Program (ASBP) is the main long-term program of action in the region for sustainable development, including water resources management and environmental protection. The development of programs and monitoring of its implementation is a priority of the Executive Committee of IFAS. The program includes national and regional projects aimed at rehabilitation and sustainable development in the Aral Sea region.

First Aral sea basin program (ASBP-1)

Second Aral sea basin program (ASBP-2)

Third Aral sea basin program (ASBP-3)

Fourth program for the Aral sea basin (ASBP-4)

Upon the initiative of the Chair country of the IFAS (Turkmenistan), a new program is being prepared for implementation in the Aral Sea basin. On January 30, 2018, at a meeting of the IFAS Board in Ashgabat, it was decided to develop an action program to assist countries in the Aral Sea basin (ASBP-4).

Within the IFAS Summit – on August 23, 2018, at an extraordinary meeting of the Fund’s Board, the ASBP-4 Concept was approved. The directions of the ASBP-4 are as follows:

  • Integrated water resources management;
  • Environmental direction;
  • Socioeconomic development;
  • Improved institutional and legal mechanisms.

These directions cover the whole spectrum of existing problems of the Aral Sea basin and logically follow from previous practices.

In this regard, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan adopted a special resolution No. 03/1-597 of September 11, 2018. Under the coordination of the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the IFAS Agency, interagency consultations were held to prepare project proposals for inclusion in the ASBP-4 program.

As a result of the consultations, a package of documents was prepared, which includes 39 project proposals for implementation under the ASBP-4 for a total amount of 385.8 million US dollars. In February 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan submitted this package to the Executive Committee of IFAS.

Also in February 2019, the Executive Committee of the IFAS through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan presented proposals for improving the organizational structure and the legal framework of IFAS.

On July 30-31, 2019 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, the second meeting of the Regional Working Group on the development of the «Program of Action for Assisting the Countries of the Aral Sea Basin (ASBP-4)» was held. The meeting was attended by representatives of the IFAS Executive Committee, members of the Regional Working Group for the development of ASBP-4 from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, representatives of the ICWC executive bodies, as well as consultants to the Regional Program «Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia» within the framework of the «European Dialogue” project Union in Central Asia».

Full consensus was reached on the composition of the ASBP-4 – 34 regional integrated projects were included, which will be elaborated in detail for submission to countries and donors for funding in November 2019.