On Tuesday June 11, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon met here the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua on the sidelines of the 3rd International Conference on the International Decade of Action "Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028".

The Tajik president’s official website says the parties discussed the issues of cooperation of the Republic of Tajikistan with the United Nations and its institutions were discussed at the meeting.

During the meeting, they also discussed issues of melting of glaciers, climate change, consequences of its negative effects, protection of the environment and increasing the capacity of generating "green energy".

It was emphasized that Tajikistan supports the efforts of the United Nations Office on Economic and Social Affairs in the direction of strengthening multilateral cooperation in the field of science, technology and innovation and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The parties expressed their readiness to develop cooperation in the field of digitization, science and education, healthcare, culture and social protection of the population.

During the meeting, they also exchanged views on the importance of adopting global initiatives, such as declaring 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, as well as the creation of the International Trust Fund for Glaciers Protection.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) is a vital interface between global policies and national action in the economic, social and environmental spheres.  DESA’s work is rooted in the United Nations Charter and guided by the universal and transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other existing mandates.  The Department is fully committed to responding to the needs and priorities of the global community.

UN DESA has been helping countries to find common ground on sustainable development, population, social matters, financing for development and many other issues.  It supports building national strategies and plans to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  UN DESA also plays a key role in assessing progress towards the SDGs through its analytical products, policy advice and technical assistance.