The Aghstev is a 133 km long transboundary river that emerges in Armenia and flows into neighbouring Azerbaijan. The Armenian part includes 36 rural communities and three major cities with a total of 84,000 inhabitants (2.6 percent of Armenia's population). In 2011, an Aghstev River Basin Management Plan was developed with the support of the EU. Continued EU support is envisaged to reinforce monitoring, capacity development and identification of investments to reduce pollution from hot spots. The Kura-Araks and Aghstev basins are located in the arid South Caucasus. Most of the population lives in these basins whose waters are essential for household, agricultural, industrial and other purposes. Their importance is reflected in the natural resources protection programmes of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. It was concluded that the technical work of Partners could convince policy makers to adopt IWRM plans at national and even transboundary levels.
Agreement on establishment of River Basin Council in Armenia
At a roundtable organised by GWP Armenia in June 2011, aimed at drawing attention to the problems of transboundary river basins, participants agreed to work towards the establishment of an independent Aghstev River basin council to implement an integrated basin plan. Issues facing the basin include legal frameworks, deforestation and water quality. The meeting took place in Dilijan City on the banks of the transboundary Aghstev River, a tributary of the Kura-Araks (also a transboundary river).