The Dushanbe International Water Conference was discussed at a Seminar at the Gulf Research Center
On May 4, 2026, the Gulf Research Center (GRC) organized a roundtable entitled “Relations between the GCC and Central Asian Countries” at its office in Riyadh, bringing together ambassadors and representatives from Central Asian countries (the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic) and the Republic of Azerbaijan, along with representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and a number of experts in political and economic affairs.
The discussions focused on recent regional developments and their implications, as well as on identifying avenues for concrete cooperation between the Gulf and Central Asia.
During the roundtable, the Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Akram Karimi, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development 2018–2028,” which will be hosted by the capital of the Republic of Tajikistan – Dushanbe on May 25–28, 2026.
Ambassador Karimi noted that the Dushanbe Conference will be organized by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in cooperation with the United Nations. It will serve as a key preparatory milestone for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference and is considered one of the most important activities within the framework of the Dushanbe Water Process.
Regarding the Dushanbe Water Process, the Tajik Ambassador explained that it is a Tajik initiative aimed at supporting the implementation of the goals of the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development 2018–2028,” through a series of conferences held by the Government of Tajikistan every two years in close cooperation with the United Nations.
In his remarks, the Ambassador also announced that a joint seminar will be held on May 14, 2026, at the UN House in Riyadh in partnership between the Tajikistan Embassy and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Saudi Arabia to highlight the objectives, goals, and agenda of the aforementioned Dushanbe Water Conference.
The seminar will be attended by heads and members of the diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of relevant entities in Saudi Arabia.
It is worth noting that for over two decades, Tajikistan has been leading international water-related issues under the umbrella of the United Nations. The UN General Assembly has adopted several resolutions on water issues based on Tajikistan’s international initiatives, most notably the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” (2005–2015), the declaration of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation, the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” (2018–2028), the declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Glacier Preservation, and the designation of March 21 as World Glacier Day.
