Central Asian Waters. Social, economic, environmental and governance puzzle

After a research trip in Central Asia, in autumn 2007, the authors of this document organized a course at the Helsinki University of Technology on Global Water Issues, with a special topic on the Central Asian water problems. After the succes of the course, the authors, along with the Helsinki University of Technology, thought to propose their partners, (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland in co-operation with Global Water Partnership and the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia) a seminar in the region with the scope to involve young water professionals from Finland and from the region to deliberate the water challenges of Central Asia. The seminar took place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in late November 2008. The 'Central Asian Waters. Social, economic, environmental and governance puzzle' document consisted on the background document of the seminar.  The aim of the paper is to analyze water conflict in Central Asia and to bring the attention of the young water professionals to this highly attractive region and to the region’s water challenges in a solution-seeking way.