H.E. President of ECOSOC,
Madame Executive Secretary of ESCAP,
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues and Friends,
Good afternoon.
Allow me to thank the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan for its enduring leadership on the global water agenda, and to acknowledge our close collaboration with ESCAP in organizing this event.
This discussion comes at an important moment.
With 2030 fast approaching, the world remains off track to achieve SDG 6. While water is a powerful connector across the entire 2030 Agenda, our challenges are becoming more complex. Climate change is intensifying droughts, floods and glacier loss, while growing demand strains our limited freshwater resources.
Againt this backdrop, stronger international cooperation is not optional; it is indispensable.
The Fourth Dushanbe Water Action Decade Conference, held in May, demonstrated the value of sustained multilateral engagement. By bringing together governments, the UN system, financial institutions, scientists, civil society, youth and the private sector, it generated political momentum and practical recommendations for accelerating progress on SDG 6.
The Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting, co-organized with ESCAP alongside the Conference, further enriched this process by bringing forward regional perspectives, challenges and innovative solutions.
As the Conference Secretariat, my Department, is committed to ensuring that these invaluable insights directly inform the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates. This landmark event will focus on one clear objective: accelerating implementation.
Dialogue is essential, but it must lead to action. Our collective task now is to strengthen the implementation of existing commitments. To succeed, we must integrate water more effectively into climate action, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, sustainable development financing, and broader multilateral processes. We need stronger institutions, greater investment, enhanced capacity development, and more coherent partnerships across the UN system and beyond.
In this regard, today's event embodies the continuity we need—from Dushanbe to New York, and onward to Abu Dhabi.
The momentum generated through the Dushanbe Water Process must continue to inspire concrete action as we prepare for the 2026 Conference.
Excellencies,
Dear colleagues,
Let us build on the momentum amplified in Dushanbe, strengthen our collaboration during this High-level Political Forum, and work together towards a successful 2026 UN Water Conference.
Together, let us transform political momentum into practical action for people, planet and prosperity.
Thank you.