DUSHANBE, June 20, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday arrived in Rio de Janeiro, where he will attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

The president’s official site reports that Tajik leader took part at a join event of UNESCO and UN-Water Tuesday afternoon.   

UN-Water is a mechanism of the United Nations, endorsed in 2003 for the follow-up process of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. Its purpose is to support states in their water-related efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals.  UN-Water strengthens coordination and coherence among UN agencies that work on all aspects of freshwater and sanitation.

Speaking at the meeting, Tajik leader reportedly called on the countries of the word to take specific efforts to improve water use and sanitation and make contribution to the case of the environmental protection.

President Rahmon, in particular, expressed serious concern over the problems of the drying up of the Aral Sea and negative impact of that disaster to socioeconomic development of the countries of the region.  In this connection, Rahmon offered to create the regional strategy of use of water resources of Central Asia.

The United Nations convenes the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio 2012 or Rio+20, hosted by Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, as a 20-year follow-up to the historic 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) that was held in the same city. The conference is organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Rio+20 is a key milestone in a series of major United Nations conferences, in which the 1992 Earth Summit / United Nations Conference on Environment and Development was the centerpiece, putting sustainable development as a top priority on the agenda of the United Nations and the international community.

The conference has three objectives: securing renewed political commitment to sustainable development; assessing the progress and implementation gaps in meeting already agreed commitments; and addressing new and emerging challenges.

The conference has two themes agreed upon by the member states: 1) green economy within the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and 2) institutional framework for sustainable development.

High-profile talks are being held from June 20–22, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro.  The conference is expected to draw 50,000 participants, including delegates, environmental activists, business leaders, and indigenous groups. Additionally, about 130 heads of state from around the world will be present for the final three days of the summit.