DUSHANBE, April 7, 2001, Asia-Plus — Dushanbe will host an international conference on the mid-term comprehensive review of the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” on June 8-10 this year.
According to the Tajik MFA information department, representatives of 192 UN member nations, more than 60 international and regional organizations, international financial institutions, NGOs, business community, as well as international experts and researchers have been invited to attend the conference.
Heads of international and regional organizations such as the United States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the CIS Executive Committee, the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC), as well international research and financial institutions are expected to attend the conference.
In all, 500 foreign participants are expected to take part at the conference.
President Emomali Rahmon will inaugurate this high-level international conference (HLIC) that will provide an opportunity for in-depth discussions of the following aspects of the mid-term comprehensive review (MCR) – practicing integrated water and resources management mechanisms (IWRM), improving irrigation and agricultural water productivity, adaptation to climate change, mobilizing financial resources, strengthening institutional and technical capacities, gender, water governance, etc.
At the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, as a result of increasing economic, social and environmental pressures and crises, freshwater has moved to the top of the international agenda as an issue for global concern and action. The year 2010 marks the mid-point of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life” and provides an opportunity for a mid-term comprehensive review of achievements during the first half of the Decade, with the provision of policy guidance for the remainder of the Decade, with a view to accelerating progress towards the water-related internationally-agreed development goals.
The HLIC is expected to elaborate and develop an outcome that would cover inter alia the new challenges and provide input for defining future steps at national, regional and international levels with full involvement of all relevant stakeholders. This outcome could be a Ministerial Declaration that incorporates concrete recommendations and proposals for further strengthening of efforts during the second half of the Decade in the achievement of internationally agreed water-related goals.
The outcome Ministerial Declaration will be presented by the host government to the General Assembly at its 65th session.
