ABU DHABI (WAM)
The United Arab Emirates affirmed the importance of international cooperation on water and sanitation during the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, as part of preparations, in partnership with the Republic of Senegal, to co-host the 2026 United Nations Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.
The Conference aims to support and accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) and ensure the availability of clean water and sanitation services for all.
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, Abdulla Balalaa, led the UAE’s engagement in Geneva, where he delivered a high-level briefing at the Palais des Nations to Member States and international partners on the UAE’s vision for and preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference.
In this regard, Balalaa underlined the UAE’s commitment to convening an inclusive, action-oriented Conference that elevates water on the international agenda, accelerates the implementation of SDG 6, translates political commitments into tangible action, mobilises investment, advances innovative solutions, and strengthens the meaningful participation of the private sector and youth.
He also participated in discussions on the right to safe drinking water and sanitation services, underscoring the importance of strengthening international cooperation to achieve practical and sustainable outcomes.
Balalaa also delivered a joint statement on behalf of the UAE and the Republic of Senegal during the programme.
The statement underscored that access to safe drinking water and sanitation services is indispensable to health, dignity, and full participation in society, while highlighting the compounding impacts of water scarcity, pollution, and climate change, particularly on communities most vulnerable to their effects.
The UAE and the Republic of Senegal also called for strengthened international cooperation to ensure the availability of, and access to, safe, sustainable, and affordable water and sanitation services for all, through adequate financing, capacity-building, and integrated, equitable, and resilient water-resource management.
The discussions in Geneva also reinforced the importance of water cooperation as a foundation for addressing shared water-related challenges and advancing sustainable development.
Cooperation across borders, institutions, and sectors is central to delivering practical solutions, strengthening resilience, and ensuring that water can serve as an enabler of peace, stability, and prosperity.
This approach is reflected in the “Water for Cooperation” Interactive Dialogue at the 2026 UN Water Conference, which will focus on cooperation and collaboration as a pathway to delivery, including transboundary and international water cooperation, scientific cooperation, and inclusive governance.
The Dialogue, co-chaired by Finland and Zambia, will explore how water can be a tool for collaboration and peace, and will demonstrate how countries, communities, scientists, and institutions can work together through stronger governance, shared knowledge, scientific cooperation, and inclusive decision-making.
Switzerland and Ghana are also playing an important role in the Conference process as co-chairs of the “Water for People” Interactive Dialogue, which focuses on ensuring that everyone, particularly those in vulnerable situations, has access to the services they need to live healthy and secure lives.
From safe water and sanitation to resilient communities and healthy economies, putting people at the centre of water action strengthens societies and unlocks progress towards SDG 6.
The UAE’s engagement in Geneva is part of its sustained diplomatic efforts to place water at the heart of international discussions on sustainable development, economic growth and prosperity, and human rights.
It reflects the UAE’s approach to advancing practical, inclusive and solutions-driven cooperation, bringing together governments, international organisations, financial institutions, the private sector, civil society, youth, and other stakeholders around a shared ambition to achieve a better water future for all.
Building on the discussions in Geneva, the UAE will continue to engage international partners during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York later this month.
Through a series of high-level engagements with governments, multilateral organisations, financial institutions, the private sector, academia, civil society, and youth representatives, the UAE will further advance dialogue on the sustainability of water resources, investment, innovation, and international cooperation, while building on the momentum towards the 2026 United Nations Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.
As partners in co-hosting, the UAE and Senegal are working to convene an implementation- and action-oriented conference, focused on moving from commitments to delivery and accelerating the implementation of scalable, deployable, accessible, and affordable solutions that will contribute to the progress of SDG 6.
The 2026 UN Water Conference will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from December 8 to 10, 2026 and will bring together governments, the private sector, financial community, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, youth, academia, and innovators, across six Interactive Dialogues: Water for People, Water for Prosperity, Water for Planet, Water for Cooperation, Water in Multilateral Processes, and Investments for Water.
Alongside the UN-led Blue Zone, the Conference will include The Oasis, an open space for all, providing a platform for innovators, investors, policymakers, thought leaders, experts, youth, and communities to connect, collaborate, and showcase solutions that can accelerate action on water.
Reflecting the Conference’s overarching vision that the future flows from water, The Oasis will bring together immersive experiences, exhibitions, dynamic programming, and opportunities for collaboration, highlighting solutions, partnerships, and innovations that can contribute to transformative progress.
Registration for The Oasis is now open and free of charge.
The UAE invites all to join the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi and contribute to a global effort to move from commitments to implementation, and from dialogue to action.
Registration for The Oasis is available through the official Conference website, with further details available across X, LinkedIn, Meta, and Instagram at @UNWaterConfUAE.