History of founding

The history of SIC ICWC is linked with the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia.

The Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) of Central Asia on the regulation, sound utilization and protection of water resources in interstate sources was formed by the 1992 Almaty Agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Commission is a collective body functioning on a parity basis in line with the principles of equity, equality and consensus. By decisions of the Heads of States of Central Asia of March 26, 1993, and April 9, 1999, ICWC and its executive bodies, including SIC ICWC, were integrated into the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and granted the status of international organizations.

At its fourth meeting on December 5, 1992, the ICWC meeting decided to establish a Scientific-information center (SIC) of ICWC within the Central Asian Irrigation Research Institute named after V. Zhurin (SANIIRI). In 1996, SIC ICWC became an independent organization.

As an executive body SIC ICWC supports the Commission in searching for optimal pathways for future water development in Central Asia, improving water management practices, and remedying the environmental conditions in the Aral Sea Basin.

SIC ICWC works with a network of research and design organizations in the five Central Asian countries, operating national branches that organize scientific and information exchanges at the national level.