NEW YORK (WAM)
The UAE delegation, participating in the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79), held a series of international dialogues to discuss preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference.
The UAE delegation met with several organisations from various sectors and stakeholders, following the adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution on the modalities for the 2026 UN Water Conference, which the UAE and Senegal will co-host in December 2026 and will be held in the UAE.
On this occasion, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasised the UAE's commitment to strengthening international cooperation on water issues.
He highlighted the recent launch of the "Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative" to address this global challenge, commending the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in launching this significant initiative that contributes to raising awareness of the severity of the crisis of water scarcity and accelerate the pace of technological innovation to deal with the challenges it poses.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed noted the UAE's eagerness to co-host the 2026 UN Water Conference alongside Senegal and work with international stakeholders to accelerate efforts to address the growing challenges of water scarcity and provide clean and sustainable water for all.
The 2026 UN Water Conference aims to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 and enhance efforts to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
The conference will be preceded by a comprehensive and unified preparatory process to identify priorities and targets with a focus on results.
The UAE and Senegal held dialogue sessions with non-governmental stakeholders, including international organisations, the private sector, civil society, academia, and UN organisations.
High-level meetings were also held with governments and partner organisations to build momentum for the Water Conference.
During the UN General Assembly, the UAE welcomed the appointment of Retno L.P. Marsudi of the Republic of Indonesia as the UN Special Envoy for Water.
A UAE delegation also met with the new Special Envoy for Water, as part of a series of bilateral meetings, along with other government officials, to discuss cooperative efforts for the conference.
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability Affairs, Abdulla Balalaa, stressed the importance of broad international cooperation in ensuring the success of the 2026 UN Water Conference and achieving impactful and tangible results on the ground to guarantee a sustainable water future for all.
These dialogues complement previous discussions held by the UAE and Senegal in global forums like the 10th World Water Forum held in Bali and the World Water Week held in Stockholm.
With six years remaining until the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Water Conference aims to accelerate global efforts in the water sector.
Despite progress, 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and 3.5 billion lack access to safe sanitation services.
Current estimates indicate the need to increase the global rate of providing drinking water sixfold, sanitation fivefold, and hygiene threefold.
Accelerating the desired progress in this regard requires an urgent and coordinated response from the international community.
The UAE and Senegal, within their efforts to prepare for the UN Water Conference in cooperation with all relevant parties, aim to build on existing efforts, including the outcomes of the historic 2023 UN Water Conference.
This approach aligns with the objectives of the "Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative," launched in February 2024 to enhance international cooperation to address global water scarcity.