Tajikistan, 2014

It is

my great pleasure to endorse the warm congratulations

extended to Mr. Sam Kutesa on his election to the

responsible post of President of the General Assembly

at its sixty-ninth session. I take this opportunity to

express gratitude to Mr. John Ashe for his important

contribution to the work of the General Assembly at its

prior session.

My delegation shares the determination to

eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote progress

in elaborating the post-2015 development agenda.

In our view, the post-2015 development agenda must

be based on the foundation of the development goals

formulated in the Millennium Declaration (resolution

55/2) and envisage ways and means of responding to the

challenges of a new generation.

The main goal of the post-2015 development agenda

should be the eradication of poverty and inequality,

as well as promoting sustainable development based

on balanced consideration of social, economic and

environmental factors. The sustainable development

goals, based on the three pillars of sustainable

development, the Rio de Janeiro principles and national

specificities and priorities, should serve as the key

components of the post-2015 development agenda. In

that respect, we support the recommendations of the

Open Working Group on Sustainable Development

Goals. Experience has shown that a goal can be

achieved only if specific plans are complemented by

the development of effective mechanisms for its review

and implementation. Our hope is that this forum will

become an important venue for ongoing dialogue

and review of the implementation of the sustainable

development goals.

Addressing issues concerning the financing

of sustainable development efforts is equally

important in achieving sustainable development.

Global partnerships for development based on the

Millennium Declaration have contributed to a certain

extent towards the achievement of a number of the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However,

gaps and flaws in global partnerships continue to cause

additional difficulties on the path towards full and

timely implementation of the MDGs.

We consider it necessary to strengthen and expand

global partnerships in accordance with previous

commitments. On that basis, new global partnerships

should be established for the benefit of sustainable

development, which will become the key element of the

global system of promoting and advancing sustainable

development. In that regard, we note the key importance

of the recommendations of the Intergovernmental

Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development

Financing, the intergovernmental process tasked with

discussing proposals to establish a United Nations

mechanism to promote development and technology

transfer.

Tajikistan has consistently strengthened its efforts

to achieve the MDGs. Extra measures have been

undertaken to create a favourable investment climate,

including a balanced budget policy, diversifying the

economy and increasing employment opportunities.

The National Development Strategy of the Republic of

Tajikistan up to 2015 is a road map for the Government

to achieve sustainable economic growth, to provide the

population with better access to basic social services

and to reduce poverty.

As a result of such measures to ensure economic

growth, in recent years we have managed to significantly

reduce the level of poverty in the country. As a United

Nations pilot country for the achievement of the

Millennium Development Goals, we plan to carry out

a comprehensive review of the implementation of those

Goals in Tajikistan in 2015. The lessons learned from

the implementation of the MDGs will be taken into

account during the development of a new programme of

sustainable development for the period up to 2030. We

are willing to closely cooperate in a transparent way

with United Nations agencies and programmes, partner

countries and other relevant organizations.

As members may be aware, on 22 March 2005,

in New York, we saw the launch of the International

Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, which

promoted the coordinated implementation of the MDGs.

The International Decade provided a strong impetus

for various initiatives and efforts at different levels to

promote access to safe drinking water and sanitation, to

advance the integrated management of water resources,

to strengthen and expand water cooperation and to raise

awareness of water-related challenges.

At the same time, global climate change, increasing

economic growth, higher population levels, the

degradation of water sources and the deteriorating

quality of water resources present the international

community with additional extensive challenges. The

reduction in water resources as a result of climate

change may impede the achievement of sustainable

development and aggravate the situation, in particular

in arid and semi-arid regions, which continue to

experience the greatest water shortages.

The International Year of Water Cooperation,

which took place last year in the context of promoting

the International Decade of Action, “Water for Life”,

2005-2015, underscored the need for water resources

management to be regulated on the basis of the

principle of joint development, which provides for a

broad framework for the harmonization of interests

and the strengthening of mutual trust in addressing

water issues. On the basis of the principle of joint

development, water resources management could ensure

the sustainable management of water resources, which

is a key component of sustainable development. In that

regard, we propose conducting a comprehensive review

of the implementation of the International Decade

of Action, “Water for Life”, 2005-2015, and jointly

developing specific recommendations to strengthen

and revitalize the United Nations water agenda.

We believe access to modern and affordable energy

services to be a key priority for achieving sustainable

development. Tajikistan continues to consistently and

comprehensively develop its energy potential, focusing

on the integrated development of renewable sources.

In addition to the construction of small- and medium-

scale hydropower plants, larger regional projects are

being developed. We are also exploring opportunities

for the use of wind and solar energy. Through such

projects, Tajikistan is significantly and specifically

contributing to the reduction of harmful emissions

and to the establishment of a solid foundation for

sustainable development. I would like to take this

opportunity to underscore that all those projects are

being implemented in a transparent way, with due

consideration for the social, economic and ecological

aspects of the sustainable development of the country

and the entire region.

Tajikistan supports the holding of the Ten-Year

Review Conference on the Implementation of the

Almaty Programme of Action on 3 to 5 November

in Vienna. We believe that the new programme of

action for the landlocked least developed countries

will provide additional opportunities for the further

integration of such countries into the world economy.

We should support and encourage as much as possible

way the efforts of that group of countries to expand

and to improve transport and energy infrastructure, the

diversification of the economy and the streamlining of

regional and interregional connectivity.

While the Organization’s transformative agenda

provides unique opportunities, unfortunately, it also

tends to strengthen the interlinkage between today’s

threats and challenges. It is in the common interests of

Member States to consistently implement the United

Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and to

effectively counter terrorism in all its forms and

manifestations, including the use of the Internet for the

purpose of terror.

Illicit drug production and drug trafficking are

also serious global issues. In recent decades, Tajikistan

has gained extensive experience in combating drug

trafficking. Under the country’s President, the Drug

Control Agency has been functioning successfully for

15 years. We have been actively strengthening counter-

narcotics cooperation with neighbouring States,

including within regional organizations. At the initiative

of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali

Rahmon, Dushanbe will host a regional anti-narcotics

conference in 2015, a year before the special session of

the General Assembly on the world drug problem. The

proposals of the conference participants will jointly

help to develop a new international counter-narcotics

policy. We look forward to the support of the United

Nations, relevant States and international organizations

for that conference.

In that regard, we attach great significance to

coordinated and joint efforts with Afghanistan in

combating drugs, as well as on other issues. The

friendly Islamic State of Afghanistan is facing new

challenges and expects the appropriate support from

the international community. We are convinced that

the fraternal Afghan people, with the support of the

community of nations, will be able to successfully

address the difficulties facing them. We believe that,

in the current circumstances, the United Nations must

take the lead in coordinating international efforts for

the resolution of the question of Afghanistan.

Tajikistan believes that Afghanistan must be fully

involved in the multifaceted regional cooperation

process. It is critical to fully include Afghanistan

in the multifaceted regional cooperation processes.

The involvement of neighbouring countries in the

development of Afghanistan, while taking into account

the regional context in the post-conflict rehabilitation

of the country, is key to the success of the ongoing

efforts of the international community.

In our view, strengthening lasting peace and

stability in conflict and post-conflict situations

requires genuine assistance in addressing economic

and social issues and support for efforts to restore

effective Government institutions and a sustainable

basis for long-term development. The regional

multilateral structures must actively participate in

strengthening security and stability, in implementing

large-scale infrastructure projects and programmes and

in expanding constructive and concrete cooperation

and interaction.

In early September, Dushanbe, the capital of

Tajikistan, hosted the fourteenth summit of the Shanghai

Cooperation Organization (SCO). The heads of the SCO

member States called for the strengthening of regional

cooperation, joint development and mutual prosperity.

They adopted measures on the liberalization of trade

and investment and the improvement of transport and

communications systems and on ensuring food and

energy security. They also addressed other urgent

regional issues of fundamental interest to our people.

In conclusion, I would like to stress that it is

impossible to resolve the issues facing the General

Assembly without strengthening, reforming,

rationalizing and updating the entire United Nations

system. Comprehensive reform of the United Nations

should contribute to its strengthening and the

enhancement of its capacity to respond to the latest

developments in the world in a timely and adequate

manner and to meet modern challenges and counteract

modern threats. The current Assembly session provides

a unique opportunity for the search of joint coordinated

ways of addressing pressing issues, which we need take

full advantage of.