On February 7-9, 2008 in Istanbul, Turkey has taken place Second Thematic and Regional Coordination Meeting of the 5th World Water Forum (WWF).

More than 400 representatives from approximately 200 international, regional and national organizations gathered for the meeting. The meeting has been organized within the framework of preparatory process to attract a big number of interested parties for development of Program Framework for the 5th World Water Forum based on the overarching theme “Bridging Divides for Water”.

Within two days plenary and thematic sessions in the course of which the participants have discussed the basic themes offered by the interested parties at the First Coordination Meeting have taken place. Each subject covers several topics. And for each topics will be defined three sessions. As well as there have been considered the agenda of the forthcoming Coordination Meeting, development of regional preparatory processes and activity coordination of the main working groups of the Forum. 

Now it is defined a Pyramid Program Framework of the 5th Forum consisting 1 aim, 2 issues, 6 themes, 25-30 topics and 100-110 sessions. The proposals of interested parties on session organization will be accepted from March to May of this year. The Forum Program Committee will confirm the final list of sessions in June 2008.

Within the framework of preparatory process are defined five regions (Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Pacific, and also Turkey and its surround regions). It is expected an organization of several regional meetings for coordination of preparatory process for the 5th WWF.

On the 5th WWF and World Water Council invitation the Acting Chairman of the Executive Committee of IFAS Mr. S. Rahimov played a full role at this meeting. With an aim of preparation of the Central Asia region for the 5th WWF and organization of a Special Thematic Session on the Aral Sea Basin problems within the framework of the Forum the Executive Committee of IFAS plans to arrange a number of actions. This issue has been discussed during the meeting of Mr. Rahimov S.N. with Forum Secretary General Professor Oktay Tabasaran, taken place on February 7, 2008 within the framework of the given event. The Executive Committee of IFAS prepares now a program of session on the Aral Sea Basin problems, which after endorsement by the IFAS Board will be submitted to the Forum Secretariat. In the course of the meeting with Professor Oktay Tabasaran have been also discussed the issues on cooperation of the Forum Secretariat and Organizing Committee of International Conference on Water related Disasters Reduction (Dushanbe, June 27-28, 2008) and an organization of Special Session of the 5th Forum within the framework of the given Conference.

During the visit Mr. Sulton Rahimov had also an appointment with Mr. Loic Fauchon - President of World Water Council,  Mr. Andras Szollosi-Nagy - UNESCO’s Assistant Director General, Head of World Hydrological Program, Mr. Oda Hideaki - President Adviser of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum and Mr. Jean-Francois Donzier - Director General of International Office for Water, during which have been discussed issues of cooperation development in the field of water relations, ecological stability and human development, and also the ways of solution of challenges and achievement of the goals accepted within the framework of the Aral Sea Basin, Asia-Pacific Water Forum and International Decade for Actions «Water for life» 2005-2015.