DUSHANBE, June 9, 2015, Asia-Plus –- The high-level international conference on the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015 is opening in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, today.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon is inaugurating the conference and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and high-ranking state officials of a number of countries as well as heads of a number of UN agencies and international organizations are delivering statement at the conference e opening ceremony.

According to the Tajik MFA, the high-level international conference on the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015 has brought together more than 1,500 participants from more than 99 countries of the world, UN agencies, international and regional organizations, etc.

Senior representatives of UN agencies such as FAO, UNESCO, UNICEF, UN-Water, WHO, UN-Women, UNEP, UNU, UN-Habitat, ISDR and others are participating in the conference.

Besides, senior representatives of international financial institutions, including the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Eurasian Development Bank, are also attending the conference.

The UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/69/215) on the ’International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015’ included the convening of a High-level International Conference on the implementation of the Decade.

The Conference reportedly provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges and gaps in the implementation of the International Decade and on this basis, recommendations will be elaborated for further action to be taken after 2015, including contributing to the development of the Sustainable Development Goals related to water resources.  The conference program includes a variety of activities, including plenary and thematic sessions, sessions on regional perspectives, an exhibition and a tour.  The Tajikistan Conference is open to all stakeholders for conducting side events.  

Two high-level panels on the results of the implementation of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, six high-level roundtables to discuss further actions for sustainable development of water resources as well as nine  thematic events and international exhibition “Water for Life” are taking place in Dushanbe on June  9-10 on the sidelines of the Conference.