PABSEC Participation in the 2023 Parliamentary Hearings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union at the UN, New York, 13-14 February 2023
On 13-14 February 2023, Mr. Igor Becic, PABSEC Vice-President, Head of the PABSEC Serbian Delegation, Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, and Mr. Ali Ustundag, Administrative Officer of the PABSEC International Secretariat, participated in the 2023 Parliamentary Hearings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union at the UN in New York, which was attended by parliamentarians from 196 countries, representatives of international organizations, experts and high-ranking officials.
The two-day event was dedicated to the theme “Water for People and Planet: Stop the Waste, Change the Game, Invest in the Future”.
Mr. Csaba Körösi, President of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, and Mr. Duarte Pacheco, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, addressed the Opening. The memory of those lost their lives in earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria was commemorated by a mınute of silence.
During the meeting, the followıng issues were discussed: access to safe water, climate change and water scarcity, increasing sustainable development, water conservation, financing infrastructure for sanitation and water services, transition towards more inclusive water policy, and development of transboundary water cooperation.
During the discussions, the participants stressed that as a result of global warming, the quantity and quality of renewable water resources are under threat. More than 80% of natural disasters that damage human life and the ecosystem are related to water resources. The need to strengthen cooperation was emphasized, especially during global crises such as the pandemic and climate change.
On the sidelines of the event, the PABSEC delegation met with Ms. Snezana Paunovic, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. Issues of cooperation and the upcoming PABSEC General Assembly, which will be held in Türkiye in 2023, were discussed.
The PABSEC delegation visited the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Türkiye to the UN and met with Ambassador Feridun Siniroglu Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the UN. The PABSEC delegation expressed condolences for the numerous victims of the devastating earthquake in the southeast of Turkey.
The PABSEC delegation also visited the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye in New York and expressed its condolences to Mr. Reyhan Ozgur, Consul General, for the victims of the devastating earthquake. It was noted that in the “Turkish House” in New York is the centre for collecting the aid for the residents in the disaster zone and that NGOs and people provide voluntary assistance to the victims.