development goals contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, particularly, to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, Ambassador Sherali said.
He pointed out that another important goal of the decade was to develop by 2015 plans for integrated water resource management and water-use efficiency in rendering assistance to the developing countries. He said that Tajikistan being the initiator of the decade has taken a number of measures at national, regional and global levels for its successful implementation. With this view Tajikistan, in cooperation with the UN and other international organisations, organised number of important international water events:
In order to develop a comprehensive programme of the conference with the participation of all categories of water users and decision-makers, there will be established an international steering committee from among the representatives of the partner countries, international and regional institutions, river basin organisations, NGOs, the private sector and other stakeholders, he said.
The primary goal of the conference is a comprehensive discussion of the issues of implementation of the International Decade for Action “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, which will later play a crucial role in conducting comprehensive review of the implementation of the international decade with bringing its results to the notice of the wider international community. The conference also provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges and gaps in the implementation of the international decade and on the basis of recommendations for further actions after 2015, including contribution to the development of the sustainable development goals related to the water resources, will be elaborated.
The ambassador said that the conference will include a variety of activities, including plenary and thematic sessions, round tables, parallel and pre-conference events, side events, presentations and other event formats upon request of stakeholders as well as an exhibition and a tour. In preparing the structure of the conference, a variety of approaches will be used, including thematic, regional and multi-stakeholder approach (sessions dedicated to different groups of stakeholders).
Prospective topics for discussion at the conference are mainstreaming water and sanitation in national development strategies, Water - Energy – Food – Climate Nexus, Addressing water scarcity and quality, waste water treatment and recycling, promoting sustainable water consumption and use, Water beyond 2015, SDGs on water, tools and mechanisms for achieving SDGs on water, global challenges and water perspective, water cooperation at international, regional, national and local levels for the achievement of the goals on water and sanitation.
He said that the representatives of the UN member countries’ governments, UN institutions, international and regional organisations, international financial institutions, business communities, non-governmental organisations, civil society, as well as scientists and experts, are invited to participate in the conference. Invitations to the UN member countries, international and regional organisations and other partners will be sent on behalf of the Government of Tajikistan and the National Organizing Committee.