The Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the United Nations (UN) in Uzbekistan held a round table on the topic "Solving environmental and water issues in Uzbekistan: strengthening cooperation between the UN and the government to advance the SDG agenda".

The aim of the event was to establish a dialogue between the government and international organizations, focusing on key trends and the current state of the environment and water resources.

The event was attended by representatives of the country's government, parliament, civil society, youth, scientists and experts, international and national development partners.

During the round table, the UN in Uzbekistan presented environmental and water initiatives and activities under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and the presentation of the 2023 World Water Development Report.

Additionally, within the event, representatives of government institutions and UN organizations implementing environmental and water programs and initiatives presented a brief overview of their initiatives, emphasizing the key challenges in water resource management in Uzbekistan.

For reference: Uzbekistan is facing a serious water shortage crisis exacerbated by factors such as climate change, inefficient water resource management, and dam construction in upstream areas. 
Furthermore, water bodies in Uzbekistan, including rivers and lakes, suffer from pollution from agricultural runoff, industrial discharges, and inadequate wastewater treatment.

The proposed collaboration aligns organically with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 13 (Combating Climate change ), and Goal 15 (Life on Land). Addressing these issues contributes to global efforts to achieve sustainable development. By jointly addressing these problems, the UN and the Government of Uzbekistan can demonstrate their commitment to leadership in sustainable development and inspire other countries to take similar actions.