DUSHANBE, April 18, Asia-Plus  -- A meeting of the consultative council for international conference to discuss water-related disaster risk reduction was held in Dushanbe on April 17.  

The first Foreign Deputy Minister Abdullo Yuldoshev, who is the head of the working group within the organizing committee of the conference, noted that the main goals of the upcoming conference scheduled for late June are to promote raising awareness level of the population, propagating best experiences and encouraging leaders to expand cooperation in ensuring preparedness for risks of water-related disasters as well as make contribution to implementation of the UN General Assembly’s resolution on proclaiming the International Decade for Action, Water for Life Decade 2005-2015.  

Speaking at the meeting, Director of the secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR), Mr. Salvano Briceno, noted that the majority of natural disasters are connected with hydro-meteorological phenomena.  

Dr. Kunio Kawamoto, Chief Officer from Japan Water Forum, noted that distribution and use of water are becoming an important problem.    

The meeting discussed the conference program and considered candidatures for chairmen, moderators and speakers at plenary, special and working sessions.  

The meeting participants included representatives of Tajik relevant ministries and organizations, ambassadors of China, Germany, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, as well as representatives from diplomatic missions of Russia, India, Uzbekistan, Turkey and a number of international organizations active in Tajikistan and local NGOs.