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Distinguished members of the High-Level Panel,
Dear participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to thank the World Meteorological Organization for organizing today’s meeting.

As you know, water and climate are inextricably linked, as climate change affects our lives and our economy mainly through water resources.

Our glaciers are melting rapidly. To date, more than 1,000 of Tajikistan’s 14,000 glaciers have completely melted.

Over the past few decades, the total volume of glaciers in our country, which make up more than 60% of the water resources of the Central Asian region, has decreased by almost a third.

At the first meeting of the High-Level Panel, I gave examples of glacier melting in Tajikistan and other parts of the world.

Given the serious consequences of continuing this process, we previously proposed proclaiming 2025 as the International Year for Glaciers Preservation and setting a date for World Glaciers Day. I have also previously called for the creation of the International Fund for Glaciers Preservation.

The Republic of Tajikistan is actively promoting these initiatives at different levels, and we do strongly believe that the members of the Water and Climate Coalition will also give their support.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In 2018, we together laid a solid foundation for the advancement of the Dushanbe Water Process in the framework of the International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development, 2018 – 2028”.

Within the framework of this event, participants actively deliberated on various aspects of water agenda on the way towards sustainable development.

Next year, under Dushanbe Water Process, we intend to host the International Conference on Water Decade in cooperation with the UN and other partner countries.

This time, the Conference will review the issues of the link between water resources and climate.

The Dushanbe Conference will be pivotal in the preparatory process for the United Nations Conference on the Mid-Term Review of the Implementation of the Water Decade in 2023 in New York, co-chaired by Tajikistan and the Netherlands.

Tajikistan will make every effort to ensure that the link between water and climate is also clearly expressed in the agenda of the UN Conference.

Dear participants!

In recent decades, we have more often seen a significant change in the climate cycle in our region.

Our winters have become colder and longer, and our summers have become hotter and drier.

In this regard, the region is experiencing a significant increase in the demand for electricity and water resources.

In addition, the hydrological cycle is changing, which leads to changes in river flow in the region, both in volume and in time.

At the same time, the existing capacities in the region, both in terms of generating electricity and regulating water resources are not able to address the growing needs of the population and the economy.

For example, last summer, Tajikistan was forced to temporarily suspend electricity export to neighboring countries.

At the same time, countries in the region experienced water shortages at the height of the irrigation season.

The early, cold and long winter of that year brought us new challenges.

The region has faced a severe drought that year, which has caused massive livestock deaths and crop losses in some countries in the region.

That is why, under our chairmanship in the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, we give an utmost attention to the agenda of the climate change impact.

In this context, we intend to continue our efforts to draw the attention of the countries of the region and the international community to more actions and take urgent measures to address climate change and eliminate its impact.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are convinced, that in today’s conditions, it is the nexus approach that can lay a solid ground to addressing daily challenges, develop “green economy” and facilitate sustainable development.

We reaffirm our commitment to this process and make added efforts to ensure that an integrated approach to addressing water and climate challenges is prioritized.

I am confident that our High-Level Panel will make a worthy contribution to this process for the further consolidation of the efforts of the international community and particularly of political leaders, for more actions and taking adequate measures.

I wish you every success and good luck along the way!

Thank you for your attention!

On 1 of November 2021, the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (COP26) started its work in Glasgow, Scotland, Kingdom of Great Britain.

Commitments for COP26 today are focused on real action to limit temperature increases and adapt to climate change.

A wide range of announcements was made throughout this conference to signal a clear shift from ambition to immediate action.

Countries have made unprecedented commitments to protect forests, reduce methane emissions and accelerate the adoption of clean technologies. On Tuesday, at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, more than 80 countries agreed on a framework that aims to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by the end of the decade.

More than 100 world leaders have pledged to end and reverse deforestation by 2030 in the first major deal of the COP26 climate summit.

The Summit’s goal is for countries to encourage each other to strengthen their own climate plans so that the worst impacts of climate change can be averted. To this end, according to the consensus of scientists, by the end of this century, the average increase in global temperature should be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to levels before the industrial revolution.

Speech by the Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Mr. Emomali Rahmon at the general debates within the 76th session of the UN General Assembly

Distinguished Mr. Chairman,
Excellency Secretary-General,
Ladies and gentlemen,

At the outset, I would like to convey my congratulations to the Chairman of this session of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Abdullah Shahid, on his election to this post.

Dear colleagues,

On September 9, the glorious people of Tajikistan celebrated a very historic and memorable event – the 30^th anniversary of Tajikistan’s state independence.

In the initial years of our independence, our country was plunged into the tragic events of the imposed civil war, and went through difficult days.

Ending the war, bringing the fighting parties together, ensuring peace and stability, and concurrently restoring diplomatic relations and constructive cooperation with the countries of the world were among our top priorities.

Despite the existing difficulties, thanks to the policy of “open doors” and peace, we have managed to take a deserved position on the world stage and ensure the sustainable development of our country.

Dear colleagues,

The already unstable situation in the current world is further complicated by geopolitical and geoeconomic competition and the growing level of threats and dangers, as well as the unprecedented spread of infectious diseases.

This situation doubles the responsibility of states to pursue a far-sighted and coordinated policy to address the current challenges.

The role of international and regional organizations, especially the United Nations and its specialized agencies, is key to finding effective solutions to the problems of the current world.

Mr Chairman,

Recent developments in Afghanistan, linked to the political and humanitarian crisis and governance, pose a serious threat to regional security and stability.

The crisis situation in Afghanistan, which shares almost 1,400 km of border with Tajikistan, cannot leave the Government and the people of our country indifferent.

The rise to power of the Taliban, which is listed as a terrorist group by the United Nations Security Council, has further complicated the region’s already complex geopolitical process.

The Taliban’s failure to deliver on its earlier promises to form a comprehensive government with the broad participation of Afghan political and ethnic forces is a matter of serious concern.

Tajikistan strongly condemns all forms of lawlessness, murder, looting and oppression against the people of Afghanistan.

Unfortunately, human rights organizations have remained silent on the violation of the rights of other ethnic groups residing in Afghanistan and the freedoms of its citizens, especially women and children, and have not commented on the matter.

As in the case of Panjshir Province in Afghanistan, we are witnessing a tragic violation of international human rights.

The people of Panjshir have no access to food, other basic commodities, as well as humanitarian aid, and even the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross are still unable to enter Panjshir to fulfill their humanitarian obligations.

The current situation is a humanitarian catastrophe.

The growing intensity of fights between the ethnic groups and tribes in Afghanistan is another factor further destabilizing the political and security situation in our neighboring country.

In view of this, the establishment of a comprehensive dialogue with the participation of all segments of Afghan society is one of the main preconditions for the establishment of lasting peace and stability in that country.

In this regard, along with other ethnic groups of this country, the Tajiks of Afghanistan, who comprise more than 46% of the population of this country, have the right to take their deserved pie in the public affairs.

Mr Chairman,

We will not interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.

However, we believe that in order to properly address the political and security problems of the neighboring country, it is necessary to form a comprehensive government through elections based on the will of the people of this country with the engagement of all political groups and national and ethnic minorities.

Thus, in our view, it is necessary to determine the structure of government in that country through a referendum by taking into account the position of all citizens of the country.

The formation of any government without taking into account the interests of all the people of Afghanistan can lead to catastrophic consequences in this country.

During more than 40 years of war and instability, which the Afghan people are not to blame for, Afghanistan has become a geopolitical platform; and the world is well aware of the consequences of the horrible events of September 2001.

The suffering Afghanistan and its friendly and brotherly nation should not be dragged into the abyss of imposed bloody wars again.

In this regard, the international community should not remain indifferent to the fate of the peoples and nations living in Afghanistan and its neighbors.

Hence, they have a long way to go, full of military and humanitarian problems, which have arisen due to the reckless decision to withdraw foreign troops from this country.

As a close neighbor, we are always in favor of a comprehensive solution to the Afghan problem and the restoration of lasting peace and stability in this country, and we will continue to stand firm in this position.

In this regard, we call on the international community to take immediate and effective measures to stabilize the difficult political and security situation and ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan through peaceful means at the earliest possible.

Tajikistan has called on international organizations, in particular the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross on several occasions, to provide immediate assistance to the Afghan people.

We believe that the United Nations should play a key role in advancing this process.

Dear colleagues,

The peaceful people of Afghanistan are faced with terror today.

We need to understand that this is not the fault of the Afghan people, but that it was organized from the outside and imposed on the Afghan people.

In this case, we are talking about the massacre of civilians, former members of the national security forces and civil servants of Afghanistan.

Various terrorist groups are actively using the unstable military and political situation in Afghanistan to strengthen their position.

We have witnessed the release of thousands of members of ISIS, al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

In other words, it is a matter of concern and regret that today Afghanistan is once again on the path to becoming a breeding ground for international terrorism.

Tajikistan, which, due to its geographical location, is at the forefront of countering current threats and challenges, such as terrorism, extremism, radicalization, drug trafficking and other transnational organized crime, will continue its efforts to prevent their further spread and believes that the support of the world community is vital in this process.

Dear colleagues,

Tajikistan is constantly making joint efforts with its partners and international organizations, in particular the relevant institutions of the United Nations, to ensure lasting peace and stability throughout the world.

Successful implementation of the National Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan on Combating Terrorism and Extremism for 2016-2020 has created a favorable basis for the development and adoption of a new Strategy for Combating Terrorism and Extremism in Tajikistan for the next five years.

Countering the illicit trafficking of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors, the proceeds of which are one of the main sources of funding for international terrorism, requires joint action and coordinated efforts by the international community.

The Republic of Tajikistan, which has gained considerable experience through the implementation of its National Strategy for Combating Drug Trafficking to 2020, also contributes to combating this phenomenon at the regional and international levels.

Taking into account modern methods and approaches to combat these phenomena, and in order to pursue an effective policy in this area, we have adopted our National Drugs Control Strategy for 2021-2030 in the first semester of this year.

Mr Chairman,

We, in Tajikistan, are well aware of the value of peace and the importance of its protection.

We are satisfied with the positive experience in our country’s cooperation with the United Nations in this regard.

Hence, Tajikistan has always supported the peacekeeping activities of the United Nations and will continue to make efforts to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of peace and stability in the conflict zones.

We intend to increase the number of our officers to contribute to this process in the future in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Moreover, in order to contribute to the implementation of the goals and objectives of the UN Security Council, to share the rich experience of Tajikistan in countering security threats and restore full peace and stability through negotiations, we decided to nominate our country for non-permanent membership of this Council for 2028-2029.

In this regard, we stand ready for cooperation with all UN member states and hope that they will support Tajikistan’s candidacy.

Dear colleagues,

The COVID-19 disease and its more dangerous waves remain a cause for concern along with the above-mentioned security threats and major problems.

This disease, which originally began as a health crisis, has led to a global economic crisis.

Having recognizing the importance of cooperation between countries in overcoming the negative socio-economic consequences of the pandemic, the Republic of Tajikistan welcomes the UN Comprehensive Responce to COVID-19 launched by the Secretary General.

We also welcome the efforts of various organizations, foundations and programs of the United Nations, including the World Health Organization, in providing vaccines against this disease, as well as immediate and long-term assistance to member states.

Economic and financial performance of countries and the negative consequences of COVID-19 will delay the timely implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in developing and least developed countries.

Therefore, recognizing the important role of the United Nations in the effective and timely implementation of these goals, we are confident that the Decade of Action to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (2020-2030) will facilitate to find effective ways to address global challenges, including climate change, poverty, gender inequality and funding.

Dear colleagues,

Climate change challenges are also a serious obstacle to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in various countries, including Tajikistan.

Tajikistan with 93 percent of its territory covered by mountainous, is concerned, along with other countries in the region, about changes in the hydrological cycle leading to severe floods and droughts and causing a negative impact on water, energy and food security.

Unfortunately, our country loses hundreds of millions of dollars annually as a result of water-borne disasters, and in many cases, natural disasters cause human losses and destruct the vital infrastructure.

We are today on the eve of the 26th session of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.

We believe that this meeting will significantly contribute to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and accelerating the efforts of the international community in the fight against climate change.

One of the serious consequences of this process is the melting of glaciers.

As a result of climate change and unprecedented warming, more than 1,000 of the 13,000 glaciers in Tajikistan’s mountains have completely melted.

According to the available statistics, the Fedchenko Glacier alone has shrunk to 11 square kilometers in recent decades in Tajikistan, and lost 2 cubic kilometers of ice.

This all is happening despite the fact that up to 60% of Central Asia’s water resources originate from Tajikistan’s glaciers.

Our country ranks 135th in the world in terms of carbon dioxide emissions and produces 96% of its electricity in hydropower plants.

As the leader of such a country, I have made concrete proposals at international conferences on several occasions to find solutions to the problems associated with climate change.

In this regard, as a member of the founding group of the World Water and Climate Coalition, I proposed at its first high-level meeting to declare the years of 2025 as the International Year for Preservation of Glaciers.

It is my firm belief that this initiative will help to attract more attention of the world community to the water and climate issues and the melting of glaciers.

The establishment of the International Fund for Glacier Preservation under the auspices of the United Nations is another step that could provide a basis for comprehensive research and effective solutions to this global problem.

Mr Chairman,

Tajikistan is recognized as an initiator and lead country and contributes to the process of promoting water and climate issues in the Global Development Agenda and submitting relevant UN resolutions on these issues.

The International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development, 2018 – 2028” initiated by Tajikistan and declared by the United Nations, is under implementation currently.

The international community is looking forward to the United Nations Conference on the Comprehensive Medium-Term Review of this Decade, to be held in New York City in 2023.

Because in almost 50 years, this will be the second Special Conference of the United Nations on Water, which will once again prove the key role of water issues in the global development agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

We are proud that Tajikistan, together with the Kingdom of the Netherlands are elected as co-chair of this important international forum.

In this regard, we have already begun preparations with our partners, including the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs, and are taking steps to organize a comprehensive and high-level conference.

We would like to encourage all stakeholders to cooperate extensively in this process.

Let me recall that in 2022, our country will host the International High-Level Conference on the Review of the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”.

We believe that this forum will play an important role in the preparations for the 2023 Water Conference.

Taking this opportunity, I reaffirm my country’s readiness to advance water and climate issues at all levels, especially in cooperation with the United Nations.

I thank you for your attention.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictive measures adopted in many countries of the world, the Second High-level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028”, which was initially planned to be held from 18 to 20 June 2020, postponed to a later date.

Ministers and other high-level officials discussed how actions to address water and climate change can drive progress on the 2030 Agenda. The online event was organized under the framework of the Water Action Decade, and in support of the implementation of the Decade of Action for the SDGs. In addition to synergies between action to address SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 13 (climate action), speakers also drew linkages with security issues, the need to bring the freshwater and saltwater communities together, and the importance of technology.

The meeting of the National Organizing Committee of the International High-level Conference on International Decade of Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018-2028 (June 18-20, 2020) was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan H.E. Mr. Kohir Rasulzoda on 26 February 2020 in Dushanbe.

During the meeting, the preparations to the Second Dushanbe Water Decade Conference were reviewed and appropriate instructions were given to the members of the National Organizing Committee, relevant ministries and agencies to take the necessary measures to organize the Conference at the high level.

The second meeting of the International Advisory Committee to the Dushanbe Water Process was held on 30 January 2020 at the FAO Headquarter in Rome, Italy.