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DUSHANBE, September 24, 2009, Asia-Plus – President Emomali Rahmon took part in general debates of the 64th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, according to presidential press service.
Delivering a statement, Tajik leader noted that over the last decades the world has made considerable progress in the technological, information, economic and social development, which, due to globalization, is being spread across the world. However, the negative aspects of this phenomenon such as international terrorism, extremism, transnational organized crime, narcotics aggression, outburst of pandemics, and emerging ecological challenges pose a serious threat to the international community.
He pointed out a significant role of the United Nations in coordination of the Member States’ efforts in order to effectively meet the challenges of modern times and to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“Our hope is that at the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference constructive exchange of views on urgent issues concerning practical realization of this document will take place. We are convinced that the establishment of nuclear free zones is equally important both at the regional and global levels,” President Rahmon said noting that Tajikistan is ready to enhance the work on practical implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on nuclear free zone in Central Asia that came into effect on March 21, 2009.
He noted that Tajikistan supported the leading role of the UN in combating illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, and hope that important measures for coordination of further steps in this direction will be developed at the next meeting to be convened for consideration of the Program of Action. “Tajikistan supports the striving of the international community to achieve comprehensive prohibition of anti-personnel mines, and meets its commitments with regard to the Ottawa Convention by providing to the UN Secretary-General the information concerning the mine risk on annual basis,” said President Rahmon, “The first International conference to address the issues of consequences of mining was held in Dushanbe in June 2009.” He noted that over a long period of time Tajikistan has experienced the consequences of mining. “We believe that Central Asia must be free from mining threat, and we call upon the international community to make its contribution to achieve this noble goal,” Tajik leader noted.
The international community continues combating terrorism, extremism, transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking, Rahmon stressed.
Dwelling on the problem of global financial crisis, Tajik president said that the situation in the world was rapidly changing because of the financial and economic crisis. “It does not merely undermine our efforts and capacity to achieve the MDGs but makes us face new complex tasks,” said Rahmon, “We highly appreciate the UN role and efforts at addressing the current “triple crisis” and mitigation of its consequences.”
He noted that it is known that the global financial and economic crisis was primarily caused by the most advanced and wealthy countries that unreasonably inflated banking assets at the expense of unsecured loans. “Therefore, we believe that these countries must bear its share of responsibility towards the developing countries, whose rather difficult situation was even more aggravated by the global financial crisis. Partial writing off the debts incurred during the crisis, consistent increase in donor assistance, and rational use of labor migration could be very helpful in such situation.”
He also noted that it was high time that numerous forums were replaced with actual practical support of the efforts undertaken by the developing countries at mitigating the impact of the crisis and overcoming it, otherwise the long-continued crisis may be fraught with even more serious consequences. Along with other Member States, Tajikistan supported the outcome of the UN Conference on the World Financial and Economy Crisis and Its Impact on Development.
“We highly appreciate the efforts undertaken by the High Level Task Force on Global Food Security Crisis, and deem it necessary to enhance assistance to the developing countries in rendering financial and economic support, transfer of technology and seeds.”
According to him, the efforts at solving the problems caused by the energy crisis have not been very successful. We believe that alongside with the MDGs, access to energy should be given top priority.
On the use of hydropower resources, Tajik leader noted that Tajikistan, who ranks eighth in the world in terms of availability of hydropower resources, the total amount of which is estimated at 527 billion kWh, currently utilizes less than 5 percent of its potential, and over the last 18 years has faced the energy crisis for 8 months of every year, primarily in autumn and winter seasons. In recent years shortage of energy has been coupled with abnormally severe and long winters, due to climate change. “It is absolutely logical that in the absence of explored hydrocarbonic resources Tajikistan is developing its hydropower engineering, in a consistent and comprehensive manner.”
According to him, completion of the construction of a number of small, medium and large hydropower stations will contribute to providing energy not only to the entire Central Asia but to the neighboring countries as well. It this regard, implementation of such regional projects as CASA-1000 will define the prospects of development of our vast region, including Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The ever increasing needs in cost efficient and environmentally sound energy require construction of hydropower stations and water reservoirs, which play the key role in providing guaranteed volumes of water, especially in the years of drought, he said.
Rahmon noted that as hydropower facilities generate energy by utilizing water rather than by consuming it, hydropower engineering plays an important role for development of the water-energy and socio-economic sectors, and for environmental protection not only in Tajikistan, but in the entire Central Asian region.
