DUSHANBE, August 9, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Uzbekistan has not yet confirmed its participation in the High-level International Conference on Water Cooperation that is expected to take place in Dushanbe from August 20-22.

Speaking at a briefing in Dushanbe, Khusrav Noziri, the head of the MFA Department for International Organizations noted on August 9 that all Central Asia’s nations, with the exception of Uzbekistan, have confirmed their participation in the upcoming event.

According to him, a number of countries of Asia and Africa are expected to participate in the conference at the level of heads of state or government.  “To-date, we have receive official confirmations from Afghanistan, Thailand, Kuwait, Mozambique, Burkina-Faso, and Kyrgyzstan,” said Noziri.  “We hope that Iran will also be represented at the highest level.”

Some 30 countries will be represented at the level of ministers, Tajik official noted.  “Besides,  senior representatives of nineteen international and regional organizations will attend the conference,” he added.

The Conference that is scheduled for August 20-22 reportedly aims to spur water cooperation, in particular at trans-boundary level, through the promotion of successful policies and best practices, wider public participation, and the encouragement of policy makers to support water cooperation at all levels to achieve internationally agreed goals on water.  The Conference also gives an opportunity to discuss and develop new measures to accelerate the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and recommendations for further actions after 2015, including contribution to the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water.