UN General Assembly
2014

drop in the water available in the region. In that regard, conscious of the undoubted interconnections between the environment, climate change and sustainable development goals, we believe that it is essential that the interests of vulnerable countries be adequately and fairly reflected in future action at the global level. Speaking of regional problems in Central Asia, I should note that dealing as we are with global challenges such as climate change, the potential threat of an energy crisis and population growth, water resources are a key factor in prosperity, and in that regard, our basic position is that the issues of water resources and energy are indissolubly linked and inseparable from each other. It is crucial to understand that hydropower development is an essential precondition for our sustainable development. That is entirely consistent with the Secretary-General’s initiative in declaring the period between 2014 and 2024 the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All. It is clear that access to modern, affordable and environmentally friendly energy supplies is essential if developing countries are to achieve global development goals, including those