Islamabad, Pakistan – September 15, 2023
Letter of Agreement and MoU Await New Chairman
One of the key topics of discussion during the meeting was the pending “Letter of Agreement” between FAO and PCRWR regarding Water Accounting at the Provincial Scale. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf’s tenure as Chairman of PCRWR concluded on September 8th, leading to a temporary delay in the signing of the agreement. It was agreed that the matter would be actively pursued once the new chairman or interim chairman assumes their role. FAO and PCRWR have committed to maintaining open lines of communication to ensure progress in this regard.
A similar situation was noted in the case of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the federal ACWA (Advanced Citywide Assessment) consortium. This important initiative also awaits the appointment of a new chairman to move forward. Both organizations are poised to continue their collaborative efforts and to swiftly engage with the new leadership once in place.
Technical Support and Data Sharing
PCRWR affirmed its commitment to support the development of the ACWA portal and pledged to involve the managers and developers of their data portals in this venture. To facilitate this collaboration, FAO will formally request a meeting with the developers of the ANARA portal, an essential component of the ACWA project. Moreover, access to critical data sets, including Groundwater, canal telemetry, and AWS portal, is contingent on the signing of the ACWA consortium MoU. PCRWR also expressed its intent to share data samples with the FAO team, further strengthening their partnership.
Ensuring Sustainability
The discussions also touched upon the sustainability of the ACWA portal. PCRWR, drawing from its experiences with similar projects, emphasized the significance of responsibility and ownership to ensure the longevity of project assets. It was noted that institutional rotation can sometimes hinder continuity and accountability. In response, FAO expressed its commitment to foster interest and buy-in from every consortium member to ensure the sustained success of the ACWA portal.
As these collaborative endeavors continue, FAO and PCRWR remain steadfast in their commitment to advancing water management and resource monitoring in Pakistan. Despite the transitional phase, the two organizations are poised to navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities to drive positive change in the nation’s water management landscape.
