Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) Environmental Information Sharing Platform

Tajikistan Proposes Developing a Regional Management Plan for Water Resources in Central Asia
2017-01-04

On August 9, 2016, the International Symposium on “Water Supply and Sanitation Popularization” jointly organized by the Tajik Government and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs was held in Dushanbe.

The President of Tajikistan - Imomali Rakhmon - pointed out in his speech at the meeting that the negative impact of climate change on water resources might hamper the achievement of the sustainable development goals. “Studies by relevant organizations of the United Nations show that the global warming process is accelerating, and up to 2 trillion US dollars is lost globally each year due to global warming.”

Imomali Rakhmon indicated that 60% of Central Asia’s water resources are from Tajikistan. Over the past decade, around 30% of the glaciers in the country have melted, and this trend will continue. The area of Fedchenko Glacier has reduced by two square kilometers. This year, the water level of many rivers in Central Asia (incl. Amu Darya and Syr Darya) has declined, which significantly impacts the water supply of countries in Central Asia. Therefore, Central Asian countries need to develop a regional management plan for water resources on the basis of equality and mutual understanding.

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