Sirojiddin Aslov, Minister for Foreign Affairs and the head of Tajik delegation to the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, attended the General Debate of the 71st session of the UNGA being held in New York.

The press service of the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that during a meeting with the US Department of State Special Coordinator for Water Resources Aaron Salzberg, the sides discussed the issues related to the promotion of the new initiative by Tajikistan on proclamation of the International Decade “Water for Sustainable Development” and other issues of the global water agenda.

Sirodjidin Aslov has also participated in the Ministerial meeting of the CSTO member states.

During the meeting, there were discussed the key issues of the Organization, joint actions of the CSTO member-states within the United Nations, as well as issues of cooperation of CSTO with the relevant UN institutions.

Similarly, Tajik Foreign Minister has participated and addressed at the Ministerial meeting of the OIC member states.

In his address, the Minister expressed concern over the continuation of conflicts in various parts of the world, particularly in the OIC region, and called for more energetic and collaborative actions to address these challenges by the international community.

Likewise, Sirodjidin Aslov has participated at the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

During the meeting the ministers have discussed prospects of cooperation in the framework of the ACD, as well as issues related with the preparation of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ACD to be held in Bangkok in October 2016.

On the same day, in the framework of participation in the High-Level debates of the UNGA 71st session, a meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Central Asian countries was held by the initiative of Kazakhstan, which was also attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.

During the meeting, ministers have discussed the economic development of the region, issues of regional security, as well as the goals and objectives of the Central Asian nuclear weapon free zone.

Also on the sidelines of the UNGA, in the UN Headquarters, Sirodjidin Aslov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, met with Philippe Douste-Blazy, Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on innovative financing for development.

The sides discussed the issues of further development of cooperation and several innovative development projects.

Sirodjidin Aslov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, met with Jean-Paul Laborde, Executive Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee in the UN Headquarters as well.

During the meeting, the parties have discussed the issues of cooperation of Tajikistan with relevant international organizations, particularly with the United Nations institutions, on fight against terrorism, as well as the prospects of joint actions in this direction.

The parties have also shared views on the current developments in the region and the ways of strengthening cooperation for better and effective response to emerging threats to regional peace and security.

At the meeting with the Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Mr. Nasser Judeh, the parties have discussed the current state of Tajik-Jordanian relations, as well as perspectives of their development.

The Minister also attended and addressed the Ministerial meeting of the ECO member states, which took place on 23 September 2016 on the sidelines of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In his statement, the Minister underlined the need to accelerate the economic integration processes in ECO region. The Foreign Minister of Tajikistan called upon the ECO member states to pay special attention to the development of transport and communication, implementation of infrastructure projects, simplification of trade procedures, efficient use of water and energy resources, establishment of a common energy system, free movement of goods, services, capital, and people.

Minister Aslov also noted that the power transmission line of CASA-1000, construction of which was officially launched this year in May, is the first major regional project in the energy sector with the participation of ECO member-states.

On 23 September 2016, a High level Side Event entitled “Revitalizing and Consolidating Efforts Towards the Implementation of Water-Related SDGs” organized by the initiative of Tajikistan took place in New York. The event, organized in cooperation with the Kingdom of Thailand, United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs, and United Nations Development Program, was attended by the representatives and experts from more than 70 member-states and international organizations.

At the high level side-event, chaired by Sirodjidin Aslov – the Tajik Foreign Minister, Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the 71st session of UN General Assembly, Mr. Wu Hongbo, UN Deputy Secretary-General on Economic and Social Affairs and Ms. Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator and other officials have made statements.

In his address, Minister Aslov briefed the participants on the outcomes of the High-level International Symposium entitled “Ensuring that no one is left behind in access to water and sanitation” held in Dushanbe on 9-11 August 2016. The Tajik Foreign Minister called upon the representatives of the UN member-states to support the new initiative of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Emomali Rahmon on proclamation of a new International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018-2028.

At the meeting with Peter Thomson, President of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, the parties have discussed issues of strengthening cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations bodies, in particular the UN General Assembly as well as the implementation of water related Sustainable Development Goals and the climate change issues.