DUSHANBE, 11.12.2017. /NIAT “Khovar”/. On 8 December 2017 at the UN Headquarters in New York a briefing in which the representatives of the UN member states gathered to discuss the UN Secretary General’s Plan of Action to implement the initiative of the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon — International Decade for Action «Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028». The briefing was organized by the Permanent Mission of Tajikistan to the UN in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and UN-Water. About 120 representatives of UN member states participated in the briefing.

According to the MFA Information Department, in the briefing which was chaired by Ambassador M. Mahmadaminov, Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the United Nations, also participated the Chef de Cabinet of the President of the 72nd UN General Assembly František Ruzicka, Head of Sustainable Development Department of UNDESA Joao Zhu and Director of the UN University for Water, Environment, Health, and one of the coordinators of the UN-Water Group for the organization and planning of the Decade Vladimir Smatkin.

In his statement, Ambassador Mahmadaminov expressed his gratitude to the UN Secretary General for his support and development of the draft Action Plan for the Decade, and stressing the active role of the President of the General Assembly in organizing the launch process of the Decade, scheduled for March 22, 2018 (International Water Day). The Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the UN also briefed participants on the concept of the High-Level International Conference on Water for Sustainable Development, to be held in June 2018 in Dushanbe.

The Chef de Cabinet of the President of the 72nd UN General Assembly informed was held member-states about the preparatory process for launching the Decade, and noted its importance as a platform for strengthening cooperation, increasing interest in sustainable water resources management and assisting in the implementation of water-related goals.