Today's Edition
MUDHI ALOBTHANI (ALETIHAD)
The Arab Youth Center has selected 100 young people from around the world to participate in the Global Youth Water Envoys Programme, ahead of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, which will be co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi from December 8 to 10.
The announcement was made during an online press conference on Tuesday, with the selected envoys chosen from more than 2,000 applicants representing over 75 countries and six regions around the world.
The programme, led by the Arab Youth Center in strategic partnership with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to contribute to international discussions on water governance and bring the priorities of their communities to the global water agenda.
Dr Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Center, said empowering young people is an investment in a more collaborative and sustainable future.
“At the Arab Youth Center, we believe that empowering young people is an investment in a more collaborative and sustainable future,” Al Neyadi said. “This programme reflects our commitment to equipping youth with the knowledge, skills and global perspective needed to contribute meaningfully to international dialogue and the Sustainable Development Goals.”
He added that the initiative reflects the UAE’s approach to fostering partnerships and connecting regions, enabling young leaders to build bridges across cultures and contribute to addressing shared global challenges.
Eng. Fatima Al Hallami, Executive Director of the Arab Youth Center, said the selected participants bring diverse experiences spanning research, entrepreneurship, public service and community initiatives.
“Our role at the Arab Youth Center is to help you build on that experience and contribute effectively to international water discussions,” she said.
Al Hallami said the 100 envoys will undertake a two-month preparation programme during October and November, moving from foundational knowledge to specialised learning and the development of recommendations.
The programme will explore water governance, innovation and investment, before allowing participants to focus on one of the conference’s interactive dialogues and examine water-related challenges through expert discussions and practical examples.
She also highlighted the importance of knowledge exchange among the participants, noting that the different backgrounds of researchers, entrepreneurs and government representatives can help strengthen the recommendations developed by the envoys.
Amaka Godfrey, Executive Director of International Programmes at WaterAid, said water is fundamental to health, climate resilience, economic growth and sustainable development.
“Water is at the centre of everything,” Godfrey said, stressing the importance of addressing access to clean water and sanitation while building resilient communities and economies.
She also underlined the importance of youth participation in decision-making, saying that young people are already leading change in their communities and should have a role in shaping decisions that will affect their future.
Richard Matey, Executive Director of the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), said the programme provides an opportunity for young people to bring community-level experiences into global discussions.
“You are experiences and ideas can help shape global responses to the water challenges that we are faced with,” Matey told the selected envoys.
He encouraged participants to remain connected to their communities, listen to people experiencing water challenges directly and use those conversations to inform the proposals they develop.
“Learn from each other,” Matey added, highlighting the diversity of perspectives represented by the 100 envoys and encouraging them to exchange ideas and build relationships that extend beyond the programme.
The selected envoys will undergo training and preparation before contributing their expertise and their communities’ water priorities to discussions surrounding the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.
The conference will bring together governments, international organisations, experts and other stakeholders to advance global efforts on water and sanitation and support progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6.
