Conference hall of Archabil Hotel of the Ashgabat hosted International Conference “Role of Water Diplomacy in Achievement of Sustainable Development of Central Asia” timed to the World Environment Day, the State news agency of Turkmenistan reports. 

The forum was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Protection, State Water Management Committee and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country.

The forum brought together deputies of National Parliament, local and foreign heads and specialists of natural protection agencies and structures, representative of profile ministries, public organizations, high education institutes and the Academy of Sciences of the country.

The participants have listened to the greeting message of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed to the personnel of environmental protection sphere of Turkmenistan.

Representative composition of foreign participants of the conference indicates the constructiveness of the partnership between Turkmenistan and big international organizations and scientific and research centres in ecological sphere. It included representatives of the UN and its main divisions like the UN Development Programme, the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, the UN Environment Programme as well as the EU Coordination Bureau in Turkmenistan, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Executive Committee of International Fund for Saving of Aral Sea, German International Cooperation Society, specialists of natural protection structures of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and other countries.

Turkmenistan was one of the first countries to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals on national level. Having ratified fundamental natural protection agreements of the UN including the Convention on biological diversity, protection of ozone layer, protection and use of transboundary waterways and international lakes, Ramsar Convention on wetlands, Convention on combating desertification, Convention on protection of the World cultural and natural heritage of the UNESCO and other, our country steadily follows undertaken obligations.

Turkmenistan carries out large-scale work for protection and rehabilitation of rich resources of the country, combating desertification, soil degradation, prevention and mitigation of the consequences of natural and anthropogenic catastrophes.

Our country strictly follows the principle, according to which water is common heritage of the nations of the world and fair conditions of availability of pure drinking water are fundamental rights of every individual. In his speech at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted that development of the countries, their economies, social sphere, level of wealth and quality of life of people depend directly on the access to water resources and their efficient management.

Aspects of stable development of the region, in particular, perspective of joint work in the sphere of trade, transport, management of water resources, natural protection, energy, tourism and culture have been discussed at the conference. The main topics included the expansion of cooperation on water problems, especially in transboundary context, expansion of ecologically safe technologies.

Promotion of water diplomacy in Central Asia, challenges in environmental protection and the ways of achievements of the SDGs, role of international cooperation in provision of stability of environment have been discussed at the fields of the forum. Foreign and national experts told about their activity in water management sphere and discussed the opportunities of activation of the partnership.

Memorandum on Cooperation has been signed between Central Asian Regional Ecological Centre and the State Water Management Committee of Turkmenistan for achievement of set objectives.