The Strengthening Water Resources in Afghanistan (SWaRMA) initiative is supported by the governments of Afghanistan and Australia and implemented by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). SWaRMA aims to co-create knowledge and provide co-learning opportunities to enhance the capacity of Afghanistan partners in managing water resources.

The first Upper Indus Basin Network Afghanistan Chapter (UIBN-AC) Meeting will be held in New Delhi, India. Members will discuss the roles and responsibilities of the strategic committee, technical working groups, leads, and co-leads. They will also discuss formation of the governance structure.

The Upper Indus Basin (UIB), shared by Afghanistan, China, India, and Pakistan has been experiencing the impacts of climate change on water resources and other sectors. The basin is crucial for all riparian countries which face many common challenges and have similar opportunities for managing water resources and water-induced risks such as floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and erosion. Therefore, a neutral science-based regional platform like the Upper Indus Basin Network (UIBN) can play an important role in helping understand the challenges and opportunities in the region. It can also foster coordination among researchers working in the region to share their experiences, knowledge, and understanding to be able to effectively deal with the effects of climate change on the water resources as well as the upstream/downstream linkages.

Meeting Objectives:

1. Identify key roles and responsibilities
2. Form governance structure
3. Identify priority actions

Please note that selection/participation is entirely on a nomination basis from relevant partners and ministries.