International Seminar on Fresh Water to be Held in Dushanbe

The international seminar "How to Prevent Conflicts and Collisions Connected with Fresh Water" will be held on Friday in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, with the participation of UNESCO director general Koichiro Matsuura.

The issue of fresh water supply was raised by president of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmonov at the UN General Assembly which declared the year 2003 "The Year of Fresh Water." Experts believe that the shortage of drinking water and the growth of its consumption may lead to armed conflicts in the 21st century.

This problem is very acute in Tajikistan. The loss of drinking water makes up 56 percent in Dushanbe alone.

The World Bank will give a credit to the city's administration to the tune of 17 million US dollars for restoring the water supply system in Dushanbe .