Distinguished Mr. President,

I would like to congratulate you on your election to this lofty office of the President of the 65lh session of the General Assembly and wish you every success.

Distinguished Delegates,

Yesterday the High level plenary meeting of the General Assembly finished its work.

At the meeting the leaders of the countries not only reaffirmed their firm commitment to the implementation of the MDGs laid down in the Millennium Declaration but also made new specific decisions for their practical implementation.

The leaders, who demonstrated their renewed political will, provided a very important and timely opportunity for accelerating the enhancement of concerted efforts at ensuring sustainable progress in the MDGs implementation. Further advancement in this area depends on conceited, coordinated and consecutive actions of the entire international community that are undoubtedly must be undertaken with the central and coordinating role of the UN.

We believe that this firm commitment must be reinforced, in every, possible way, by specific practical measures that will contribute to a full and timely achievement of all MDGs, without any exception. At the background of the energy and financial and economic crises of the recent years, and ever-growing impact of climate change, our actions should be backed up by adequate financial resources. In this regard, the appeal to double the official assistance for development - an important component of financing for development, remains urgent. Allocation of additional external funds for development should not aggravate the burden of the debt of the developing countries, whose financial situation has been aggravated by the world economic crisis.

Strengthening of a global partnership is essential for creating an environment favorable for a sustainable economic growth and increase in employment. First and foremost, it is necessary to revitalize global trade and investments, the driving force behind industrial growth. This is of vital importance for the land locked countries, whose participation in global trade is hampered by their geographical location and existing barriers on the way to expanding their trade relations, which, in its turn affects the industrial growth and achievement of the MDGs in these countries. The efforts should be focused on creation of new international transport systems and corridors and efficient use of the existing ones that will help to put an end to marginalization of land locked countries in global trade.

Tajikistan calls for a speedy completion of the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations, which will contribute to the achievement of the MDGs. Our view is that the system of international trade, especially in the time of crises, must remain open, just, predictable, non discriminatory and must be based on concerted rules.

Current stage of development is specifically characterized by the fact we have reached the ultimate quantitative growth, which should be followed by a qualitatively new development.

Such a transformation requires an entirely new conceptual approach towards development that takes into account the interests of both current and future generations.

Guided by the principles of sustainable economic development the Government of Tajikistan identified three strategic goals, namely, withdrawal of the country from communication isolation and ensuring energy and food security.

In order to achieve the MDGs the country adopted and has been implementing the National Development Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan till 2015 (NDS) and the Strategy for Poverty Reduction. As the major strategic document of the country the NDS identifies priorities and major directions of the government policy aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth, improving access of the population to basic social services, and poverty reduction.

Despite the enormous difficulties associated with the global financial and economic crisis and natural disasters, the above strategies in the last five years contributed to progress in the achievement of MDGs.

To further achieve the above strategic targets the Government of Tajikistan is going to address the issues of sustainable macroeconomic growth, to improve the system of government management, to develop real sectors of the economy, to rehabilitate and diversify industry, as well as to strengthen export capacity of the country, to improve the investment climate and support entrepreneurial activities, to ensure social protection of the population, to develop labor market and strengthen human resources.

Transfer to sustainable development is needed to address the issues of long-term character such as climate change, preservation of biodiversity and desertification, the resolution of which requires comprehensive and concerted actions. Our efforts at addressing global climate change need to be regarded from a critical point of view, especially after the last year Copenhagen conference.

The lessons drawn from this meeting should encourage us to take more resolute measures towards mitigation of detrimental gases emissions into the air, adaptation, with the aim to reduce adverse impact of climate change, and transfer of technologies that promote transfer to a low carbon economy. We are convinced that at the forthcoming meeting in Cancun the parties to UNFCCC will be able to agree upon these and other parameters of a new global agreement called upon to become an important milestone in the post Kyoto period.

It is known that climate change affects fresh water resources and increases probability of floods, mud flows, land slides, droughts and other water-related natural disasters. Besides, climate change aggravates acute fresh water scarcity in certain regions of our planet. For example, in Tajikistan, which is the source of about 60 percent of the entire region water resources, during the last thirty years out of total thirteen thousand glaciers over one thousand ceased to exist. Depletion of ground waters in the world remains a serious problem. According to the available forecast, by 2025 more than one third of the population of Earth will experience water shortage, and by 2050 the population of the planet will not be able to fully meet their needs in water.

Tajikistan is the initiator of the International Year of Freshwater, 2003 and International Decade for Action “Water for life”, 2005-2015, and actively advances the water agenda in the UN. We act not only as the initiator of discussions of water issues on the international arena but also as the initiator of adaptation of specific measures on sustainable use of this resource of vital importance. All these steps are aimed at an in-depth study of water issues and development of relevant coordinated actions of the international community. In this context, the Dushanbe International Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the International Water Decade, organized in cooperation with the UN, and in compliance with the UNGA resolution 64/198, has become an important contribution.

The Conference confirmed once again that further strategies for water use, irrespective of the level at which they will be developed, should be based on the principles of sustainable management of freshwater resources. Universal introduction of sustainable development is important for achieving progress along all fields of economic growth and strengthening of human potential. These and other recommendations are highlighted in the Dushanbe Water Declaration, the outcome document of the Conference.

The efforts of Tajikistan in the water area are aimed at sustainable and efficient use of the country’s potential, strengthening of mutually advantageous and equitable regional cooperation. We believe that water cooperation should strengthen rather than undermine interaction in other areas. It should increasingly build confidence among all water resources users and contribute to the introduction of integrated management of water resources at the local, national and regional levels. Having this in mind, we put forward an initiative to proclaim the year 2012 as the International Year of Water Diplomacy. We are convinced that the adoption of a relevant resolution by the UN General Assembly will contribute to appeasement of contradictions in the fresh water resources management through such diplomatic means as early warning, preventive diplomacy and measures on confidence building, mutually advantageous and mutually acceptable regional cooperation, and a dialogue on these issues.

Universal transfer to development and use of renewable energy, which considerably reduce detrimental gases emissions into the air, is an important component of addressing climate change. It is essential to encourage and support, in every possible way, the projects aimed at increasing a share of renewable energy on a global scale, transfer of new and advanced technologies, enhancing efficiency of energy supply and energy conservation. Tajikistan renders full support to the initiative on ensuring a universal access to advanced energy services. We consider it as a prerequisite for a successful implementation of the MDGs. For this reason, Tajikistan has been developing its energy potential, in a consistent and planned manner, on the basis of a complex development of renewable energy sources. Alongside with the construction of small- and medium-scale hydropower stations, we consider the implementation of large-scale projects of regional significance and explore the possibility of use of solar and wind energy.

Mr. President,

Efficient regional cooperation plays a significant role in establishing a global partnership for sustainable development. The specific feature of our region is that development of comprehensive cooperation in many respects depends on the success of the process of strengthening peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Counteracting terrorism is a long-term objective because of a multi facet nature of this phenomenon that is alien to humanity, and because of its deep roots. It is essential to intensify concerted struggle for uprooting terrorism by applying the entire range of political, economic, financial and humanitarian measures. We consider it important to speed up the reaching of the agreement and adoption of a comprehensive convention on combating international terrorism.

While combating terrorism one should take into account that terrorism can not exist without financial support and material replenishment. There is no secret that today illegal drug trafficking has become one of the major sources of financing international terrorism. The urgency and magnitude of problems related to drugs and drug illicit trafficking are a clear evidence to the global menace that threatens international stability and security at large.

Currently Tajikistan finds itself between the major world producer of opium and heroin and the drug consuming countries, and given the fact that Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan, with a very complex mountain relief, is almost one thousand and five hundred kilometers long, we have to perform the role of a buffer blocking the ever-increasing stream of “white death”.

We are absolutely confident that the success in combating narcotics aggression, which yields multimillion profits to the countries that are located far away from Tajikistan, can be achieved only through consolidated and collective efforts.

We consider it necessary to get Afghanistan involved in the processes of a multi-facet regional cooperation. In this regard, I would like to underline the efforts undertaken by the “Quad”, which is gaining in strength, and which comprises Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia and Tajikistan. Within this new format of multilateral cooperation our efforts are aimed at counteracting terrorism and narcotics threat that are difficult to uproot unless the problems of poverty, unemployment, and other urgent social issues are dealt with, and these efforts are called on to strengthen and specify global measures aimed at strengthening of the peace process.

We do count that the objectives and goals recently voiced at the Kabul conference will be put into practice.

Mr. President,

The intellectual and creative impulse in the last decades brought about elaboration of the major principles and norms of sustainable development that are formulated in Agenda 21, as well as in the “Program for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21” and the "Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI). These historical documents laid down a sound foundation for transition of the existing pattern of production and consumption to a sustainable ground - the paradigm of today.

The whole range of long-term objectives we confront today demand a clear and sound reconsideration of the actions of the international community towards sustainable development. We are convinced that the UN should remain a center for coordination and harmonization of the efforts in this area. At the same time the consolidating role of the UN itself should be enhanced through strengthening of its capacity to respond to the problems in an efficient and adequate manner, and to efficiently meet numerous global challenges and threats of the new Millennium. Tajikistan confirms its willingness to contribute to this process, within its capacity.

Thank you for attention.