AKIPRESS.COM - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin met with Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Rector of the UN University (UNU) Tshilidzi Marwala and Director of the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) Kaveh Madani in New York on September 22.

At the meeting, Minister Muhriddin stated that today marks a new chapter in Tajikistan's partnership with UNU and UNU-INWEH. This collaboration reflects the sides' shared commitment to addressing the global challenges of water availability and environmental protection.

Tajikistan takes pride in being a global advocate for water, the Minister said. UNU is the right partner for bridging the science-policy gap and strengthening the technical capacity the world requires to address its problems, he added.

"This partnership will strengthen coordination between Tajikistan and UNU and enhance cooperation on programs that promote knowledge sharing, capacity building, and policy-relevant research, contributing to both parties' work on global sustainability challenges, particularly in science, technology, innovation, and sustainable development," said Rector Tshilidzi Marwala.

As a UN Member State, Tajikistan has played a major role in developing 10 UN General Assembly resolutions and shaping global initiatives such as the International Year of Freshwater, the Year of Water Cooperation, the "Water for Life" and "Water for Sustainable Development" Decades, and the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, the Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan reports. It also served as the co-host of the UN Water Conference in 2023, playing a key role in advocacy for the water agenda and resuming high-level global conversations on freshwater after nearly 50 years.