High-Level International Conference on Water Cooperation

21 August 2013, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. “Fostering international cooperation through joint water management will guarantee not only water security, but it will more importantly guarantee social, economic, environmental and political security,” President of the World Water Council, Benedito Braga, said during his statement at the opening plenary of the High-Level International Conference on Water Cooperation on  Tuesday. It was in the presence of the President of Tajikistan H.E. Emomalii Rahmon, the President of the 68th UN General Assembly Mr. John Ash, and the Prime Ministers of Tajikistan, Thailand, Kirgizstan and Mozambique. The day before, President Braga met with President Rahmon during a bilateral meeting to present the Council’s strategy in making water security a reality for all. He was accompanied by Mr. Jerome Delli Priscoli, governor of WWC representing the US Corps of Engineers.

 

His participation continued on the second day of the event with a thematic panel on “Triggers and Catalysts of Water Cooperation”. The president emphasized the importance of having “win-win” alternatives for joint water management which  should include economic, technological and data exchange aspects. The panel brought up the importance of having solid technical and scientific proposals for water cooperation. It was co-chaired by Mr. Miroslav Jenca, special envoy of the UN Secretary General.

 

Considered as one of the key events of the 2013 International Year of Water Cooperation, the Dushanbe conference gathered around 1,000 participants including Heads of States and Governments. The potentials embodied by water cooperation are presented during the conference to encourage joint initiatives among riparian states and the benefits for all stakeholders. Specific attention is being given on enlarging the scale of assessment for water management and the human, economic and environmental impacts of cooperation.