[{"bbox": [98, 152, 1134, 207], "category": "Text", "text": "1.4 Strengthened capacity of Water Sector duty bearers to maintain inclusive and quality IWRM (complementary support)"}, {"bbox": [85, 280, 367, 308], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 3.2 Indicative Activities"}, {"bbox": [96, 326, 1134, 485], "category": "Text", "text": "This Water Sector Budget Support programme will address the specific objectives through continuous policy dialogue and will use it as leverage to support necessary reforms, ensure government's full engagement, ownership and commitment, provide sufficient budgets, and budgetary planning coherent with the sector's policy. It will also contribute to necessary changes in institutional and socioeconomic environment, including organisational flexibility, connectivity, attitudes in the Government and society, government spending, long-term regulatory outlook. Proposed activities related to all outputs include:"}, {"bbox": [96, 485, 1134, 565], "category": "Text", "text": "1. Continued policy dialogue with the Government, emphasising the specific objectives, results, disbursement conditions of the Sector Reform Performance Contract as well as the adequate implementation of the complementary measures;"}, {"bbox": [96, 565, 1134, 618], "category": "Text", "text": "2. Regular monitoring and policy dialogue on achievements of the water policies and their quality objectives, on macro-economic and PFM developments and budget transparency;"}, {"bbox": [96, 618, 1134, 669], "category": "Text", "text": "3. Preparation of the disbursement files and monitoring of performance targets and indicators to be used for disbursement;"}, {"bbox": [96, 669, 1098, 698], "category": "Text", "text": "4. Participation in the high-level water-related events, sector meetings, reviews and technical working groups."}, {"bbox": [96, 723, 1134, 777], "category": "Text", "text": "The complementary measures are encompassing the improvement of the capacity of the relevant institutions in overall management and development of the sector. More precisely:"}, {"bbox": [135, 805, 1134, 1045], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Technical Assistance (direct management: procurement of services, EUR 0.75 M) will be focused on (i) strengthening the capacities of the national and local authorities to formulate, implement and monitor water policies aiming at quality improvement, including sound financial management, resource allocation in the sector, as well as supporting productive policy and social dialogues with the EU, other Development Partners and water stakeholders; (ii) keeping and attracting personnel in engineering specialties and with professional technical education, and developing relationships with scientific and technical organizations (iii) ensuring equitable access to the water sector, considering climate-related issues, with emphasis on gender and disability; (iv) ensuring that the principles of environmental conservation, climate change and circular economy are mainstreamed among institutions and in their planned investments."}, {"bbox": [135, 1071, 1134, 1205], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Technical Assistance in PFM (EUR 1 M) may be implemented through: indirect management by an entrusted entity which has long-standing experience in the country's PFM and fiscal governance system, good knowledge of and successful cooperation with government institutions related to PFM system and a proven record of successful cooperation with the EU in this field. Discussions are ongoing with partners including the Ministry of Finance to determine which partner would be preferable."}, {"bbox": [85, 1246, 311, 1276], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 3.3 Mainstreaming"}, {"bbox": [96, 1292, 542, 1318], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Environmental Protection & Climate Change"}, {"bbox": [96, 1318, 1134, 1398], "category": "Text", "text": "The proposed budget support programme promotes the implementation of the National Water Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic up to 2040 and of its Plan of Action 2023-2025. It is part of the environmental protection system put in place to sustainably manage the natural resources of the Kyrgyz Republic."}, {"bbox": [96, 1398, 1134, 1530], "category": "Text", "text": "This Action aims to promote two crucial principles for an IWRM approach: the Cost Recovery Principle and the Polluter Pays Principle. The Polluter Pays Principle is closely linked to the Cost Recovery Principle in the context of water pricing. As part of the 'full cost' of water services, the environmental costs should be reflected in the prices paid by water users. This approach is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability of water services and resources and to encourage the efficient use of water resources."}, {"bbox": [96, 1530, 1134, 1636], "category": "Text", "text": "Furthermore, it aims to protect and improve the water environment and the quality of water resources. The goal is to ensure that water management practices do not have a negative impact on the water environment and its ecosystems. That means it will promote the use of water quality standards to regulate the discharge of pollutants into water bodies and the implementation of measures to reduce water abstractions from rivers and lakes."}, {"bbox": [1027, 1681, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 17 of 34"}]