During the digital video conference held on 20 March, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov gave several important instructions to the members of the Turkmen delegation bound on a visit to Japan to hold working consultations and talks.
The head of the State Committee for Water Resources was instructed to hold discussions with the Japanese partners on the issues pertaining to the deepening of cooperation in the field of modern melioration practices through the introduction of latest water management technology, with a view to advancing the agricultural reforms, to look to the experience with innovative technology and to exchange views with Japanese experts on the scientifically sound measures to increase the capacity of the Garaşsyzlyk water reservoir created in the Eastern province of the country.
Environmental protection, respect for nature, preservation of its riches for the generations to come, rational management of land and water resources to create a quality environment for living and support for global synergies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals are among priority aspects of the policy pursued by the President of Turkmenistan.
A vivid example of that is the recent working visit by the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, to Balkan province when the head of state inspected the environmental situation in the area of the Turkmen Altyn Asyr Lake where a modern village is planned to be constructed, and cattle breeding, farming and fish production are planned to be developed.
With the initiatives for rational water management, the President of Turkmenistan pursues a consistent water policy that draws upon the principles of positive neutrality, mutual respect and equality, and is based on the universally accepted norms of international law.
Integrated solution of water issues with due regard for the interests of all states in Central Asia is the overriding priority for the water strategy.
Turkmenistan faithfully follows the principle that proclaims water the common heritage of the peoples of the world, and establishes the fair environment that provides access to pure drinking water as a fundamental right of every human.
In his address to the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed that the access to water resources and their effective management directly affected the development of countries, their economies, social situations, level of well-being and quality of life.
Turkmenistan consistently advocates these positions and asserts its commitment to the resolution of water and energy problems in the region on the basis of universally recognized norms of international law, with regard for the interests of every Central Asian state and with active participation of international organizations, primarily, the UN.
The need to reduce tensions in respect to water issues in the Central Asian region, to settle disputes by means of diplomatic dialogs and concrete measures on the basis of trust and mutual understanding arises from the need for the further development of international relations, which serves as an important factor of sustainable development for all countries.
The Turkmen leader clearly outlines water diplomacy as one of the priority areas of the foreign policy and views it as a political and diplomatic form of multilateral interaction.
The President of Turkmenistan stresses that water diplomacy offers possibilities for a systematic dialog that aims to tackle all issues related to forming and restoring water resources, their prudent and rational use.
In his speech at the 7th World Water Forum in Daegu, Republic of Korea, the President of Turkmenistan voiced the initiative to build an environment for the effective water diplomacy that will serve as a reliable instrument in shaping the new multilateral political and diplomatic relations.
It was also noted at that forum that this political and diplomatic instrument will become a reliable foundation for the work of the United Nations in developing relevant water documents.
In his address to this high-level forum, our national leader put forward the initiative on developing the Water Strategy of the United Nations and presented proposals regarding the commitments of all countries to ensuring the universally recognized water-use rights.
Having ratified the UN’s fundamental environmental agreements, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, for the Protection of Ozone Layer, to Combat Desertification, on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Turkmenistan abides strictly by its commitments.
Dozens of programs and projects are being implemented in these spheres on the national and regional levels in collaboration with the UN Development Program, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Global Environment Facility, the European Union and other reputable international structures.
In his policy, the head of state places specific importance on tackling the urgent tasks on the availability and rational use of water and on the ensuring of sustainable sanitation.
It is worth reiterating that Turkmenistan faithfully follows the principle that proclaims water the common heritage of the whole world, and recognizes the access to pure drinking water as a fundamental right of every human.
Among priority areas for cooperation outlined in his address to the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly the head of state named the set of issues on saving the Aral Sea.
It is obvious that preserving the Aral Sea cannot be viewed as an internal or regional problem.Help from the global community, a new accentuated, integrated international approach and most active and systematic participation of the United Nations are needed for the successful resolution of this issue.
In this regard, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov called on the UN member states to support Turkmenistan’s initiative for the creation of the UN Special Program for the Aral Sea and for the establishment of the Aral Sea issues as a separate sector of the global community’s work.
The relevant Decision of the UN General Assembly that was adopted on 18 April 2018 provided a framework for that.
In 2012, Turkmenistan acceded to the UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes that was signed on 17 March 1992 in Helsinki and entered into force in 1996. The Convention calls for a rational and fair, environmentally sound and effective water use with regard for transboundary specifics.
Another pressing issue faced by the international community is the global climate change and its negative impact on the environment, economics and population of the planet. The effect of climate change on water resources (rise in temperatures, decreased precipitation, concurrent dry summers etc.) entails the critical issue of water supply in the Central Asian region.
The peoples of our region have been living by transboundary rivers for centuries, and they have adopted a coordinated approach towards the use of their waters.However the irrational use of water resources on the territories of individual counties that we have witnessed in recent years leads to reduced water supply during the spring-summer season, when water is of critical importance in agriculture.
Moreover, we face challenges in providing water to the population and in delivering it to the manufacturing and agricultural facilities of the states located in the Amu Darya basin.
Turkmenistan always has and will take a clear stance on this and other topical problems, says President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.This approach specifies that the resolution of water and energy issues must draw upon the universally recognized norms of international law with regard for the interests of all countries of the region, and reputable international organizations, primarily the UN, must be included in the process as active participants.