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TAJIKISTAN is set to convene a high-level international conference addressing global water security at a time when climate change, population growth, and economic pressures are intensifying stress on freshwater resources worldwide.
The 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development,” 2018–2028, will take place from May 25 to 28 in Dushanbe, the country’s capital.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to Malaysia, H.E. Ardasher Qodiri, briefed the Malaysian media, highlighting the urgency of the issue.
“The water issue is, in fact, a very hot topic nowadays, and I can tell you that in the coming decades it will become even more critical,” he said. “Year after year, climate change is accelerating this process.”
Qodiri warned that growing water scarcity could escalate geopolitical tensions, with nations facing stark choices between cooperation or conflict over shared resources.
“Countries are increasingly finding themselves in a situation where they either have to cooperate with each other or risk moving into direct conflict,” he noted, citing developments in the Middle East as examples of how water shortages can exacerbate regional instability.
“Behind many of these tensions, there is actually a conflict over water resources,” he added, cautioning that such pressures are likely to intensify over the next two decades.
He emphasised the centrality of water to human survival and global security.
“What is happening nowadays with climate change will, in fact, turn into a security problem, especially a food security problem,” Qodiri said.
“And food security, in turn, depends directly on water resources. Without water, we cannot survive. You can survive without oil, you can survive without natural gas, you can survive without minerals — but you cannot survive without water.”
The four-day conference, convened under the Dushanbe Water Process and in partnership with the United Nations and a wide coalition of international stakeholders, will focus on accelerating the implementation of the Water Action Decade.
The initiative aims to advance sustainable water management and universal access to safe water and sanitation, while contributing to the global water agenda during a critical period for achieving international development targets.
Tajikistan, often described as the “water tower” of Central Asia due to its abundant mountainous water resources, has assumed a leading role in promoting water governance internationally.
As the initiator of the Water Action Decade and co-host of the UN 2023 Water Conference, the country has positioned itself as a key advocate for multilateral cooperation on water management.
Organisers say the 2026 conference will serve as a preparatory milestone for the UN 2026 Water Conference, to be co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates.
“The conference is designed to bridge past achievements and future ambitions,” officials explained, noting that it will connect the outcomes of the 2023 conference with preparations for both the 2026 meeting and the final review of the Water Action Decade in 2028.
A central feature of the event will be its emphasis on practical implementation, with participants expected to present scalable solutions, strengthen international cooperation, and forge new partnerships to address pressing challenges including water scarcity, pollution, ecosystem degradation, and the impacts of climate change.
The conference will also provide an early platform for shaping the agenda of the UN 2028 Water Conference in Dushanbe, which will conclude the decade-long initiative, and will initiate discussions on the role of water in the post-2030 global development framework. - February 18, 2026
