The State Agency for Water Resources of Azerbaijan, the European Union (EU), and the World Bank (WB) have presented a report titled “Transitioning to Efficient Water Sector Institutions and Programs for Addressing Water Security Challenges,” AzVision.az reports.

According to the information, the report was driven by important institutional reforms that are currently underway in Azerbaijan to improve services in the water supply and sanitation sector.

One of the objectives of these reforms is to eliminate fragmentation and duplication of functions in the institutions responsible for the country's water sector.

Meanwhile, it is noted that institutional reforms are particularly important for Azerbaijan as it is highly dependent on transboundary water resources due to its geographical and climatic features.

A total of 78 percent of the country's groundwater comes from the transboundary rivers Kura and Araz, which flow through three neighboring states. Due to increasing demand and the effects of climate change, water availability will decrease. This makes sustainable water management even more urgent.

The report consists of two thematic blocks: improving institutional efficiency of service delivery in the water sector and digital tools for water resources management.

These thematic clusters include recommendations on strengthening water sector institutions to ensure effective service delivery with a focus on water supply and sanitation, models for sustainable drinking water supply and wastewater management in rural areas, and information on digital tools for water accounting, assessment, and management.

However, the report was prepared within the framework of the Azerbaijan Rapid Technical Assistance Facility (AZTAF) program.

To note, the AZTAF program was launched to support the Government of Azerbaijan in achieving the development goals "Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development".

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