The UNDP / GEF Kura II project team met with Georgian focal point Marina Makarova, the Head of Water Resource Division at Georgia’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource Protection, on June 6, 2017 in Tbilisi, to discuss the ongoing and future issues, related to advancing Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) across the Kura river basin through implementation of the transboundary agreed actions and national plans. 

The scientific – practical conference was conducted in Baku on Monday, June 5, 2017 dedicated to the water economy and amelioration specialists’ professional appreciation day. The conference had been jointly organized by the Azersu JSC and Amelioration and Water Economy JSC within the celebration of this special day announced as professional appreciation day by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan since May 14, 2014.

On Friday, June 2, 2017 the Kura II PCU had meeting with the representatives of Azersu JSC – the main water supply operator of Azerbaijan.

At the invitation of the UNIDO Project Team, the UNDP – GEF Kura II project staff attended the National Conference on EaP GREEN Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production project in Azerbaijan in Baku, on 25-th May 2017. The National Conference was organized under the UNIDO-led Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) Demonstration Component, as part of a regional project "Greening Economies in the European Union's Eastern Neighbourhood" (EaP GREEN) funded by the European Union (EU) with additional co-financing by the Government of Slovenia and the Development Bank of Austria.

The UNDP GEF Kura II PCU had conducted fruitful meetings with the representatives of stakeholders from water sector in Azerbaijan and Georgia within the recent 2 weeks. Project Chief Technical Advisor Dr. Mary Matthews and Senior Capacity Building Expert Mr. Ahmed Abou Elseoud together with the staff of Tbilisi office of Kura II had series of meetings in Tbilisi during the dates of May 2 to May 5 meeting with wide range of experts, senior advisors and high level decision makers including deputy minister.

The Steering Committee meeting of the EU National Water Policy Dialogue in Azerbaijan is organized at the Central Park hotel in Baku on April 26, 2017. 

The UNEP Convention on Bio Diversity (CBD) Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea Region is conducted in Baku during 25-29 April 2017. 

The Integrated Water Resources Management Training Center is established within the UNDP – GEF Kura II project with the aim to provide additional effect and ensure sustainability of the project through capacity building and development of human resources for water management in the region.

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan hosted the Regional Inception Workshop of the “UNDP - GEF Kura II Project: Implementing IWRM Across the Kura River Basin” on April 6-7, 2017 in the grand Minister’s Conference Hall in Baku.