DUSHANBE. June 10. “Asia-Plus” — Participants of the high-level international conference on the mid-term overview of the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” for 2005-2015, which ended in Dushanbe, urged the global community to coordinate efforts on water resource management at national, regional and international level.
Conference participants have acknowledged the role of the UN in discussing and achieving consent on all water related issues, Tajik Prime Minister Aqil Aqilov said.
According to him, by signing the Dushanbe declaration conference participants urge to increase responsibility and liabilities of decision makers, improved involvement of women into these processes, increase funding and strengthen cooperation, including the development of water diplomacy.
“The document also urges to more coordinated efforts at national, regional and international levels on such issues as integrated management of water resources, increase of responsibility and liability of decision makers, greater involvement of women into these processes, increase in funding and strengthening of cooperation, including the development of water diplomacy,” Akilov has said.
Conference participants have acknowledged the interlink between water and energy. “Water, as one of the sources of renewable energy, is used for energy production while energy is used for water supply and provision of other services to the population. Sustainable production of hydropower energy can contribute to significant progress in terms of poverty reduction, mitigation of consequences of climate change and achievement of sustainable development in developing countries,” the declaration says.
The document also says that “water plays important role in terms of achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Development of sustainable and equal access to water requires resolution of barriers through proper management of water resources and provision of corresponding services on improvement of sanitary conditions.”
Conference participants also outlined the need to speed up the process aimed at achievement of goals on reduction of proportion of population deprived of access to clear drinking water and sanitary services.
Akilov said that the given declaration and the idea of Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon to proclaim the year of 2012 the International Year of Water Diplomacy will be presented at the 65th session of the UN General Assembly.
