Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday delivered a statement at the Water Summit 2016 in Budapest, Hungary.

Rahmon, in particular, pointed to the significance of coordination of joint international efforts in the water sphere, according to the Tajik president’s official website.

Tajik president said that Tajikistan was actively participating in solution of regional and international water problems.

Rahmon noted that 60 percent of water resources in the Central Asian region originated from glaciers in Tajikistan.

“Tajik government is taking efforts to solve the water problems.  Over the past decade alone, we have spent about 1.7 billion U.S. dollars on this vitally significant sector.  However, despite these efforts, the country is still facing difficulties in various water subsectors.  Having enormous water-and-energy resources, Tajikistan continues facing electricity shortages during winter period that leads to various socioeconomic problems,” Rahmon said.

He further noted that Tajikistan’s hydro-power potential is estimated at 527 billion kWh per year, when only 3 – 4 percent of that enormous reserve has been exploited so far.  This is evidence of the fact that Tajikistan has huge opportunities to solve existing socioeconomic problems and achieve sustainable development, Rahmon said.

According to him, irrigation farming is an important factor to provide food security and better employment opportunities for the population.  “In Tajikistan, irrigation farming accounts for 80 percent of output of agriculture, which makes 20 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP),” the president noted. 

Rahmon said that it was necessary to spend considerable financial resources for modernization of the irrigation farming infrastructure.

Tajik leader considers that climate change processes and natural disasters also significantly complicate water problems.  

Around 1800 participants and 600 Sustainable Water Solutions Expo visitors from 117 are reportedly participating in the Budapest Water Summit 2016 (BWS 2016).  The BWS 2016 serves as a platform for discussion for heads of state and government, ministers, high-level representatives of international organizations, states and governments, members of the scientific, business and financial sectors and representatives of civil society from all over the world.  

The aim of the three-day event is to promote in a very concrete manner the implementation of the sustainable development water goal and all related targets on water and sanitation, as well as to achieve progress in the implementation of the water-related aspects of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The event is planned to pursue a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach which is open to innovative and cost-efficient technologies and methods that can be turned into bankable projects as soon as possible.

The Summit is organized by the Government of Hungary in cooperation with the World Water Council. The High Level Panel on Water, along with the UN Secretary General, the President of the World Bank Group and the President of the World Water Council are invited. Invitation will be extended to all Member States of the United Nations, competent UN bodies as well as other international organizations, international development banks, civil society organizations and the private sector.