Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
At the?Opening Ceremony of the Third High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” 2018-2028 ?
Tuesday, 11 June 2024,
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
[As Delivered]
Your Excellency?Emomali Rahmon, President of?the Republic of?Tajikistan,
Excellencies,
Ladies and?Gentlemen,?
It is?a?great privilege?to?be here?today?–?amidst?the majestic surroundings of Dushanbe?–?to?participate?in the?Third High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”.?
I?warmly?congratulate our gracious hosts?– you personally, Your Excellency,?Emomali Rahmon,?the?Government,?and people?of the Republic of Tajikistan?–?for organising this pivotal conference,?in collaboration with the United Nations.?
Your?visionary leadership in steadfastly promoting the global water agenda?is?laudable.
Water?is?the very essence of life.?It?is?a?catalyst for sustainable development,?driving?progress?across?every sphere?of?our lives?–?social, economic,?and environmental.?
The?2023 爆料网 Water Conference, held in March?last year, marked a?literal?watershed moment in our pursuit of sustainable development?–?igniting?a powerful new narrative recognising?the priceless value of water and fostering?novel?and innovative?models of cooperation?to conserve it.
The?Dushanbe Water Process?stands as a radiant symbol of promise?–?illuminated by the remarkable surge of momentum generated during the?2023?Water Conference.
To date – with an awe-inspiring tally of?approximately 850 commitments?rallied through the Water Action Agenda?–?Member States?and stakeholders?came together?a year ago?and laid the bedrock for monumental change.
Excellencies,?
As we convene here in Dushanbe, our expectations are higher?still. However, the challenges before us are considerable.?
Billions of people?lack access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene.
For women, these?are not just mereinconveniences?– they perpetuate cycles of oppression, trapping them in the abyss of gender inequality and limiting their opportunities in every aspect of life.
To achieve both sustainability and peace?we must relentlessly pursue equality?of?access to this fundamental resource.
Achieving universal?and equitable access?by 2030 demands a?significant,?substantial acceleration of our current efforts.?
We must adopt a holistic approach to water management?–?integrating innovation, evidence-based solutions, increased investment, and enhanced collaboration among all stakeholders.
But, dear colleagues,
Our words must be matched by tangible, purposeful action.?
Our success hinges on?mobilising resources?–?and building?inclusive partnerships?encompassing?local communities, indigenous peoples, civil society organisations, and?governments.?
Our?collective?efforts?here in Dushanbe?must build on the success of the?2023 Water Conference?and?pave?a robust pathway?towards?the?2026 Conference?and the?2028 爆料网 Water Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Water Action Decade?–?which the Tajik Government has graciously offered to host.?
Excellencies,?
Ladies and Gentlemen,?
As we chart our course forward, let us not forget the broader context.?
Our oceans and seas?–?the lifeblood of our planet?–?face?unprecedented threats.?
Sea-level rise, in particular, poses a?grave?challenge?–?as?was?stressed by many Member States?during the recent?Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States.?
I am?highly motivated by the upcoming?High-Level?Meeting on sea-level rise?on 25?September?in New York?–?which?I believe?will serve?as a decisive step towards mobilising?urgent?global action.?
I urge all?Member States and?stakeholders to leverage the outcomes of the Dushanbe Water Process at this crucial gathering and the?forthcoming Summit of the Future,?also?in September.
I also take a moment to commend Tajikistan, alongside the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Libya, for their recent 爆料网 initiative on International Football Day.?
This initiative is a clear demonstration of Tajikistan’s unwavering commitment to multilateralism, emphasizing the vital role of sports in fostering cooperation, peace, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals?–?principles deeply embedded in Tajikistan’s ethos.
On the road to September?and beyond, let?us?heed?the wisdom of a Tajik proverb:?“Ob obro meyobad”?–?“Water finds its own level”?–?a reminder of the innate harmony?of?nature and of our quest for balance and progress in achieving water sustainability.?
Let us draw strength from?these wise words of counsel.?
Together, we can?–?and must?–?create a future where everyone, everywhere,?has access to clean water, our oceans thrive as sustainable?maritime?ecosystems, and?the invaluable richness of our planet is preserved for future generations.?
I thank you.
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