Tajikistan
RECOMMENDATIONS of the Preparatory Conference “Towards the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20):Water Cooperation Issues”, (Dushanbe, 19-20 October, 2011)
1. The Preparatory conference was organized by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in cooperation with UN-Water, the UNDP and OSCE Offices in Dushanbe. About 140 participants from the different regions of the world, countries that play an active role in promoting and addressing water issues on the UN agenda, UN-Water and UN institutions, international organizations representing different major groups of Agenda 21 and the intergovernmental organization of transboundary river basins, took part in the Dushanbe Preparatory Conference.
The objective of the Preparatory Conference was to discuss current issues and challenges in water cooperation, resulting in the following recommendations for the Rio+20 (zero-) documents. They will also be included in the concept note and the programme of the thematic session on water cooperation within the framework of the Rio+20 Conference.
2. The Preparatory Conference focused on in-depth deliberations on the following three goals:
– To discuss different aspects of strengthening cooperation and dialogue to resolve current water issues, towards achieving the MDGs and IADGs,
– To demonstrate best practices in different regions of the world in water cooperation among water users at local, national and regional levels, in improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and in promoting efficient use of water resources for development and environmental protection;
– To prepare specific recommendations on effective implementation approaches and mechanisms towards joint use of water resources in transboundary basins of rivers, aquifers and lakes.
3. The Preparatory Conference once again noted the main decisions made by the General Assembly in its resolution 65/154, which declared 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation, to take appropriate steps to organize the activities of the Year and to develop necessary proposals on activities at all levels to support the Member States in the implementation of the Year; to take advantage of the Year to promote actions at all levels, including through international cooperation, as appropriate, aimed at the achievement of the internationally agreed water-related goals contained in Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 of the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation; as well as to increase awareness of their importance.
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