DUSHANBE, 07.06.2022 (NIAT Khovar) – “Cooperation between Tajikistan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands is being implemented at a high level. Despite the fact that our countries differ, Tajikistan and the Netherlands play an equal role in ensuring and protecting water resources and conserving rivers,” said the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte in his capacity as the Chairman of the UN Water Conference 2023 at the Second Dushanbe Water Conference.

According to Rutte, last month UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the importance of action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. This plays an important role against the backdrop of the challenges and problems associated with climate change and natural disasters that occur in the world.

“There are people on the planet right now who do not have access to safe water sources and access to sanitation. We must accelerate our efforts towards achieving SDG 6, so our government, civil society, all citizens of the world must strive to make commitments. Water is life. First, it concerns safety, health and nutrition. The Dushanbe Water Conference plays an important role and we must conduct it effectively,” he added.

The conference will serve as the key event in the preparations for the UN Conference on the Midterm Review of the International Decade for Action «Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028,» which will be held in March 2023 in New York under the chairmanship of Tajikistan and the Netherlands.