DUSHANBE, May 12, 2011, Asia-Plus — Global climate changes, financial and food crises, world economic slowdown, shortage of resources and other reasons have undermined efforts taken by countries to achieve internationally concerted water and sanitation goals, Tajik Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov remarked at a special event “Water Issues in the Least Developed Countries” that took place in Istanbul, Turkey on May 11.
According to Tajikistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the meeting that was held on sidelines of the 4th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries was chaired by Ambassador Sirojiddin Aslov, Head of Tajikistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
In his statement, Tajik prime minister expressed hope that the meeting would be a common contribution to acceleration of the process of resolving problems related to access to safe drinking water and basic sanitary. On the problems of use of water-and-energy resources in the Central Asian region, Mr. Oqilov noted that further development of Tajikistan depended on rational use of those resources, the source noted.
The issue of water supply is one of the most difficult issues the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are confronted with. Water shortage and poverty in these countries are closely interrelated. LDCs usually experience the lack of technology and investment necessary to collect, treat, and distribute water among consumers in an efficient manner. In addition, there is another vital problem, i.e. the lack of governance and infrastructure to monitor and control water flows. All these issues require serious and comprehensive approach on the part of LDCs themselves, the donor countries, international organizations and the civil society.
Therefore, the main goal of yesterday’s special events were: to highlight and discuss different aspects of current water problems in LDCs; to share information of different countries and international organizations in improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and in promoting rational use of water resources for development and environmental protection in the LDCs; to discuss ways of reduction of consequences of water-related natural disasters, as well as climate change in the LDCs, and climate and water-related policies and actions to combat short and long term threats; and to facilitate dialogue and encourage sustainable cooperation among users whose lives depend on the same resource.
