On May 11, 2023, with the initiative of the Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan in the Republic of Turkey, a round table on «International initiatives of Tajikistan in the field of water and climate change» was held at the Institute of Strategic Thought of Turkey with the participation of a wide range of scientists, experts and mass media representatives. Director of the Centre for strategic research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, doctor of philosophy, professor, associate member of National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan Khayriddin Usmonzoda gave a virtual (online) speech on the topic «The role of global initiatives of the Leader of the nation in solving issues related to water and climate change». The text of his speech is meant.
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The realities of the modern world and the increase of problems related to water and climate change are proving that the issue of access to water and effective management of a healthy living environment for humanity is facing many problems in the next decade. Over the past two decades, our country, led by the Leader of the nation, Emomali Rahmon, is the author of four major initiatives that are being implemented at the global level: «International Year of Clean Water, 2003», International Decade of Action «Water for Life, 2005-2015», «Year of international cooperation in the field of water, 2013» and the announcement of the International Decade of Action «Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028», which on December 21, 2016, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/71/222, co-authored by 177 UN member states accepted. Taking into account climate change and the melting of glaciers, which is the main source of drinking water on the planet, another initiative of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the nation Emomali Rahmon to declare 2025 as the «International Year of Glacier Protection» and to establish a special International Foundation for Glacier Protection that it is a great contribution of our country to solving global problems.
Taking into account the future perspective of the current situation in the foreign policy of the Republic of Tajikistan, «water diplomacy» is considered a priority direction, and its promotion and strengthening is not only in the interest of our state, but also in the interest of all mankind, because the problems related to the above-mentioned issues are increasing day by day in the world and worried the states. Tajikistan is one of the active countries in the search and implementation of solutions to these global problems, and the global initiatives of the leader of the nation, his excellency Emomali Rahmon, are respected, recognized and implemented by the international community.
Since the end of the 90s, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, has warned the world community about the growing problems related to water and the environment. The reality of today’s world shows that the balanced and tested opinions of the great Leader of the nation Emomali Rahmon have their own logic and truth, and today it was the warnings of our head of state that the entire international community is trying to solve the problems of water and climate.
According to the United Nations, about 2 billion people in the world do not have access to clean drinking water, and climate warming has become one of the factors that worsen food security. It should be emphasized that important initiatives are being taken by states and international organizations to solve this problem. In this process, the Republic of Tajikistan is considered one of the leading and initiative country in solving global water and climate problems. This is an indisputable fact recognized by the international community. For example, as we mentioned, in the last two decades, Tajikistan proposed four international initiatives to solve global water and ecology problems, all of which were accepted and put into practice by the states.
Currently, we are in the process of implementing the fourth international initiative «International Decade of Action «Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028». Within the framework of this initiative, our country, together with the United Nations and other development partners, is implementing important scientific-practical and public initiatives. From June 6 to 9, 2022, the second international high-level conference on the International Decade of Action «Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028» under the title «Impacting actions and partnerships in the field of water at the local and national levels» will be held in Dushanbe, regional and global» is the continuation of implementation of important international events of Tajikistan. At the second high-level conference in Dushanbe, one of the key issues was the access to clean drinking water, and new solutions were introduced to the world water agenda to overcome this problem.
«Water diplomacy» is important for the Republic of Tajikistan in protecting national interests and also for ensuring the regional security of Central Asia. In the region of Central Asia, the Republic of Tajikistan has large water resources. Being at the forefront of the formation of water resources, Tajikistan has increased the role and position of the country. Scientific studies have shown that more than 60 percent of the region’s water resources originate from our country. As a result of climate warming, a third of the total volume of glaciers or a thousand glaciers of Tajikistan have disappeared in recent years. In such a situation, the promotion of «water diplomacy» in foreign policy will create foundation for the protection and restoration of glaciers in order to prevent water-related problems in the country and damage to GDP caused by natural disasters. Of course, preventing and solving such problems is impossible without joint efforts, because water management is one of the most complex and vital issues in the whole world.
According to scientific statistics, from 14,000 of Tajikistan’s glaciers 1000 have disappeared. A similar situation can be observed in other states with large glaciers. Currently, Tajikistan is trying to organize events dedicated to the next initiatives, i.e. declaring 2025 as the International Year of Glacier Protection, declaring March 21 every year as the World Day of Glacier Protection, and establishing the International Foundation for Glacier Protection. We express our gratitude to the country of Turkey for supporting this next initiative of Tajikistan.
The Glacier Study Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan operates in the Republic of Tajikistan for the study of the republic’s glaciers.
In addition, issues related to climate change and water-related emergencies every year in our country cause a lot of damage to the country’s economy. According to the information of the Committee for Emergency Situations and Defense, the total number of natural emergencies in the Republic of Tajikistan in the three months of 2023 was 258. Overall, more than 87% of emergencies are related to water. The economic loss of our country from water-related disasters is 67%.
From this number of incidents and emergency situations of natural nature — heavy snowfall, avalanches, rockfalls, heavy rains and floods caused damage to the population and economy of the country. That is, the amount of damage caused by natural disasters related to water in the total domestic product was 0.15% in 2021 and 0.05% in 2022.
The issues of rational use of water resources have always been in the forefront of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, and important work has been done in this area, because water is an invaluable resource not only for drinking, but also for use in all spheres of the national economy, and above all, in agriculture has the main role. In 2000, the Water Codex of the Republic of Tajikistan was adopted to strengthen the legality and protection of the rights of individuals and legal entities to use water resources, to improve the social conditions of the population and the environment, to protect water from pollution, contamination, depletion, prevention and elimination of the harmful effects of water, improved the condition and protection of water objects laid a legal basis. Taking into account the reflection of fundamental changes in public relations in the field of water in 2020, the Water Codex of the Republic of Tajikistan was adopted in a new edition.
Reforms in the water sector of Tajikistan began with the adoption of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan dated March 15, 2006, No. 1713 «Strategy of reform of the state management system of water resources». In the Strategy, the reform of the water sector is taken into account as an integral part of the agricultural reform and is based on the general principles governing the integrated management of water resources in river basins. It focuses on the consideration of social, economic and environmental benefits through sustainable management and development of water resources.
Press service of the
Center for strategic research under the
President of the Republic of Tajikistan
