DUSHANBE, December 3, Asia-Plus — Addressing the First Asia-Pacific Summit in Beppu, Japan, President Emomali Rahmon has offered to elaborate and adopt an International Water Convention, Abdufattoh Sharifzoda, a spokesman for president, reported from Beppu.
Tajik president reminded that in 2003, more than 140 countries seconded Tajikistan’s initiative on announcing 2005-2010 a Water for Life Decade.
He noted that world reserves of coal, oil and natural gas annually decrease and at present the use of hydropower resources if great significance.
“Every day, some 4,000 children die of using unsafe drinking water and more than 1 billion people on the Planet do not have access to clean water,” said Rahmon, “Therefore, we consider it expedient to set up regional and international emergency funds under the UN Water Resources Committee to tackle problems connected with access to safe drinking water and respond to water-related disasters.”
He also proposed to set up a Water Partnership of advanced states, which would provide targeted assistance to developing and poor countries. “Support for backward countries should become the key task of the second half of the International Water Decade,” the Tajik head of state said.
Rahmon reiterated his proposal to use waters of the Lake Sarez to provide regular water supply to 30-40 million people in Central Asia.
He invited heads of states of the region and interested international organizations to take part at international conference on reduction water-related disaster risk, which is expected to be held in Dushanbe next summer.
On the Aral Sea problem, Emomali Rahmon noted that heads of Central Asia’s states had proposed to give a status of the UN agency to the International Fund for Aral Sea (IFAS) and announce the Aral Sea basin as a pilot region for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
He also proposed to set up centers of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum in all five sub-regions, including Central Asia.
Yesterday, President Rahmon also held a number of bilateral meetings.
The First Asia-Pacific Water Summit brought together about 300 people, also including industry leaders and environmental experts, from some 40 countries and territories in the Beppu hot-spring resort in Oita Prefecture. Under the main theme “Water Security: Leadership and Commitment,” participants will exchange opinions on water shortages, disasters, insufficient infrastructure and governance, and other water-related issues. A total of 10 panel sessions are being held.
