DUSHANBE, October 19, 2011, Asia-Plus — The prepcom conference “Towards the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO +20): Water Cooperation Issues” is being held in Dushanbe on October 19-20.
Organized by the Government of Tajikistan and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) in cooperation with UN-Water, UNDP Office in Dushanbe and the South-South News, the Dushanbe conference is discussing current issues and challenges in water cooperation that will be later included in the concept note and the program of the thematic session on water cooperation in the framework of the Conference Rio+20. The outcome of the Dushanbe conference, as well as the application on behalf of the Government of Tajikistan will be submitted to the Secretariat of the Conference Rio+20 before November 1, 2011.
About 50 participants have been invited to the Dushanbe conference from the six regions of the world, as well as from the secretariats of intergovernmental organizations of trans-boundary river basins, UN institutions, UN-Water, a number of countries that play an active role in promoting and addressing water issues in the UN agenda.
According to the Tajik MFA information department, the Dushanbe conference participants include Deputy Tajik Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Tajikistan Alexander Zuyev, Secretary of UN-Water Kenza Robinson, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan Ambassador Ivar Vikki, heads and senior representatives of relevant ministries and agencies of Tajikistan and other Central Asia’s nations and representatives of a number of international organizations.
The main goals of the prepcom conference are reportedly in discussing different aspects of strengthening cooperation and dialogue to resolve current water issues, towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Internationally Agreed Development Goals (IADGs) and their further inclusion to the program of the thematic session within the framework of the RIO+20 Conference, demonstrating best practices in different regions of the world in water cooperation among water users at local, national and international levels, in improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and in promoting rational use and good management of water resources for poverty alleviation through sustainable development and environmental protection, and overviewing existing international agreements and legal instruments for the Preparation of concrete recommendation on effective approaches and mechanisms towards joint use of water resources in trans-boundary basins of rivers, aquifers and lakes, and the draft outcome document of the thematic session within the framework of the RIO+20 Conference.
A summary of the prepcom conference will be prepared. This will include a draft concept note and program as well as a draft outcome document of the thematic session on water cooperation within the framework of the RIO+20 Conference and also key messages, proposals and remarks of the panelists and other participants. The summary will be distributed to all Permanent Missions to the UN, UN-Water and other interested and relevant organizations.
