After returning from Berlin, my colleagues asked me how the course went, what the results were, and my general impressions. In short, I said that all my expectations from the courses were fully met. To elaborate, of course, the relevance of the topic was emphasised, as was the wise approach of the organisers to the selection of participating countries, a well-thought-out plan of lectures, meetings and seminars, as well as the constant attention and readiness of the team of the German Federal Foreign Office to help with all organisational and substantive issues.

Despite my experience working in the diplomatic service system of the Kyrgyz Republic, I have been working on water and environmental issues for about a year and a half. Considering that my country is an upstream country in the region and a kind of water tower of Central Asia, participation in the courses was of great interest to me. Besides studying German approaches to water issues, my range of interests also included themes related to the country’s policy to combat the consequences of climate change, the application of international law in these areas, and the most striking examples of water sharing allocation/distribution between the various states. I would especially like to highlight our lecturers from various German ministries and representatives of the academic circles directly involved in the processes of negotiations and preparations. After almost every presentation and meeting, there were very active, lively and sometimes highly emotional discussions and exchanges of views. I also particularly remember the visits to specialised institutions in Germany and the Netherlands, the simulation seminar in Clingendael, and the visit to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to learn more about its work.

Due to the fact that in recent years there have been two directly opposite trends in Central Asia – a water shortage and an increase in demand against the background of climate change, irrational use of water, deterioration of infrastructure, the development of water-intensive sectors of the economy, and demographic growth – based on the results of my participation in the courses on water diplomacy, I was once again convinced of the complexity of the issue and reminded of the interconnection of water use issues with environmental protection.

After such lively and dynamic lectures and discussions, I think all participants in our course will agree that the priorities are implementing energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies, further developing interstate cooperation on water allocation taking into account national interests and the consequences of climate change, as well as training highly qualified personnel. I am confident that the knowledge and experience gained during the courses will make a significant contribution to the future work of the diplomats and specialists in the water sector in promoting effective water policy at national, regional and international levels.

In conclusion, in addition to my gratitude for the new knowledge and experience, I can confidently congratulate the organisers and underline that the main approach of Diplomacy by Networking has been successfully achieved.

Kumiushai Suiumbaeva