ABU DHABI (WAM)
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, chaired a meeting of the National Higher Committee for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference (UNWC 2026).
This important step comes as part of the UAE’s preparations to host the conference and reflects its firm commitment to enhancing the resilience of the water sector and consolidating its position as a global strategic priority.
Members of the National Higher Committee include Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects and Chair of the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity and Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation; Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Mohamed bin Hassan Al Suwaidi, Minister of Investment; Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; and Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State.
The committee also includes Mohamed Abdullah Al Jneibi, Chairman of the Presidential Protocol and Strategic Narrative Authority; Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Authority; Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs; Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority; Major General Ahmed Saif bin Zaitoon Al Muhairi, Abu Dhabi Police Commander-in-Chief and Chairman of the Events Committee; Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary-General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Crown Prince’s Office at the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court; and Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability.
During the meeting, His Highness underscored the urgency of intensified and coordinated efforts - both nationally and internationally - to address water challenges, given the critical importance of water resources and their interlinkages with key sectors, including food security, energy, and environmental sustainability.
His Highness also emphasised the importance of leveraging innovation and advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance water management, improve efficiency, and unlock scalable solutions to global water challenges.
He stressed that delivering meaningful and lasting outcomes from the Conference will require strong alignment, innovation, and collective action across governments, institutions, and stakeholders.
Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, provided a comprehensive overview of the Conference preparations, including progress achieved, the overall ambition, and the UAE’s strategic approach to delivering a high-impact Conference.
He highlighted key international milestones, notably the consensus reached by all UN Member States in July 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on the themes of the six Interactive Dialogues - an important achievement that reflects renewed confidence in multilateral cooperation and sets a strong foundation for the Conference outcomes.
Abdulla Balalaa stated, “The UAE is well known for its strong implementation focus, which aligns closely with the central objective of the 2026 UN Water Conference—accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6.”
He further emphasised the UAE’s commitment to ensuring that the Conference delivers actionable, measurable, and scalable solutions to global water challenges.
The Committee, comprising senior representatives from key government entities and national institutions, reaffirmed its collective commitment to organising a successful Conference that advances the UAE’s long-term vision for sustainable water management and positions water at the centre of the global development agenda.