On Friday October 1, Tajikistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirojiddin Muhriddin met in New York with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the General Debates of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.  

The Tajik MFA information department says that in the course of the talks, the parties discussed a wide range of issues related to cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations in various fields, including political, socio-economic, humanitarian, and security aspects.

They reportedly stressed the need to enhance multilateral interaction.

Joint fight against terrorism and extremism, as well as an effective response to the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and its impact on water resources were the main topics of the conversation.

The two sides reportedly also discussed developments related to Afghanistan.  They focused special attention on the provision of emergency humanitarian aid to the population of Afghanistan and the need to strengthen international cooperation to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in this country.

Sirojiddin Muhriddin noted that Tajikistan recognizes an inclusive government that consists of all political and ethnic groups in Afghanistan.

According to the UN News Center, Guterres and Muhriddin also discussed developments related to Central Asia and regional cooperation.     

The Secretary-General reportedly welcomed Tajikistan’s leadership on water- and glacier-related issues, particularly in relation to the Water Action Decade 2018-2028.