The declaration encourages action to promote the sustainable management of water resources as a means of addressing poverty, biodiversity loss, emerging diseases, humanitarian crises, urbanization, the impacts of natural disasters, food security and climate change. The conference aimed to raise the profile of: water issues in relation to women's and children's well being; and water management in least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing States (SIDS) and mountainous countries.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon encouraged countries to renew their commitment to safe water and sanitation as the post-2015 development agenda and a climate agreement are being negotiated. He stated that bringing people together around water resources will open the door to discussion of peace and security issues. He noted that, while the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on safe and sustainable drinking water was achieved five years ahead of schedule, around 2.5 billion people still lack access to adequate sanitation. He called for women and girls to be involved in decision making about water and sanitation.

Ban further called on the countries of Central Asia to ratify the two UN Water Conventions as a basis for agreement on the management of transboundary water resources in Central Asia, noting that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) go beyond issues of water access to address efficiency of use, water quality and transboundary cooperation.

The conference, which took place from 9-11 June, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, was organized by the Government of Tajikistan and UN-Water. The UN ‘Water for Life' decade is taking place from 2005 to 2015. [Press Release on UN Secretary-General's Remarks] [Conference Website] [Declaration] [UN Water Announcement] [UN Closing Press Release] [Mountain Partnership Press Release]

Source: IISD Natural Resources Policy and Practice