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Honorable co-chairs, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

1. FAO thanks the government of the Republic of Tajikistan for the warm hospitality, for the excellent organization of this very important Conference and for its the global leadership on water.

2. Agriculture, although we don’t hear much at water conferences, is the largest sectoral water user globally and certainly in all countries in the central Asian countries. Agriculture is highly impacted by water-related challenges such as floods, pollution, scarcity, and droughts, but also holds the solutions to those challenges.

3. Water is now fully integrated into the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 and mainstreamed into FAO's strategies on Climate Change, on Biodiversity and on Science and Innovation, and on integrated land and water resources management. 

4. Last year, FAO chose water as the theme of UN World Food Day and of the 43rd Session of FAO Conference - the highest governing body of the Organization, and further decided water resources management as the FAO biennial theme 2024–25.

5. FAO actively promotes water at the global agenda on agriculture, land degradation and desertification, and climate change.

At the UNFCCC CoP28, FAO, together with UAE and Brazil, launched the Partnership for Water Resilient Food System.

For the CoP29, FAO and the COP29 Presidency Azerbaijan, are developing “Harmoniya 4 Climate” initiative, which aims to foster coherence, alignment and knowledge sharing for greater impacts and to drive the transformation we all work towards.

Such efforts will be continued at the World Food Forum in FAO, UNCCD CoP16 in Saudi Arabia, and CBD CoP16 in Colombia.

6. FAO strongly promotes the alignment of UN system to work on water, in particular through the development and implementation of the UN system wide strategy on water and sanitation.

7. FAO actively participated in all high-level water conferences organized here in Dushanbe, and was involved in the UN 2023 Water Conference, and submitted eight commitments to the Water Action Agenda, on which we have made significant progress already.

8. One of these eight commitments, the National Water Roadmap for SDGs initiative was launched at the 10th World Water Forum, with 7 countries joining the first batch of pilot countries, including Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.  

9. FAO supports the 2025 International Year for the Glaciers’ Preservation. As the lead UN agency for mountains, FAO hosts the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, works closely with UNESCO, WMO and countries to develop the global campaign for this international year.

FAO is committed to further developing partnerships for managing the impacts of climate change on glaciers and water sources.

10. The forthcoming FAO’s Annual Rome Water Dialogue in October 2024 will create a further opportunity to enhance action backed by sound cross-sectoral policies, science and innovation, partnerships, and investments in water and agrifood systems transformative solutions. We would like to hereby invite you all to join the upcoming Rome Water Dialogue. 

11. Proud for being awarded the prestigious King Hassan II of Morocco Great World Water Prize at the 10th World Water Forum, FAO continues its water journey by supporting its member countries in sustainable and resilient agriculture development and integrated land, soil and water resources management for food security and sustainable development.

12. FAO is committed to worldwide partnerships to work together towards a water and food secure world for all. Water is life and food is water. 

Wish you a very successful conference! 

Thank you.