Abu Dhabi to host landmark UN Water Conference in 2026
Abu Dhabi will host the third United Nations Water Conference from 8 to 10 December 2026, with the United Arab Emirates and Senegal co-hosting the global gathering aimed at accelerating action on water security and sanitation.
It will be only the third UN Water Conference in history, following meetings in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1977 and New York in 2023.
The 2026 conference is also the first to be jointly hosted by two countries from the Global South. It will bring together governments, international organisations, civil society, academics, youth representatives and Indigenous Peoples to strengthen international cooperation on one of the world's most pressing development challenges.
The conference will focus on achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure universal access to safe water and sanitation. Organisers hope the event will accelerate implementation, strengthen partnerships and mobilise investment for water security.
Preparations began in 2024 after the UN General Assembly formally approved the conference. Six interactive dialogues will examine water for people, prosperity, the planet, cooperation, multilateral processes and investment, with each theme co-chaired by participating countries.
For Namibia, the discussions are particularly relevant. As one of the most water-scarce countries in southern Africa, Namibia has long prioritised drought preparedness, water reuse and integrated water resource management. The conference provides an opportunity to share these experiences while building partnerships to improve resilience in arid environments.
A key milestone in preparations was a high-level meeting in Dakar, Senegal, in January 2026, where ministers, UN agencies, researchers and civil society organisations began shaping the conference agenda.
Unlike traditional UN negotiations, the conference will not produce a negotiated political declaration. Instead, its outcome will be a summary highlighting practical actions, partnerships and opportunities to accelerate progress towards SDG 6.
The meeting also comes at a critical point in the global water agenda, midway between the 2023 UN Water Conference and the 2028 conference in Dushanbe, which will conclude the UN Water Action Decade.
As co-host, the UAE says it aims to use the conference to strengthen international cooperation on water resilience, innovation, financing and sustainable water management, while positioning Abu Dhabi as a platform for practical solutions to one of the world's most urgent environmental and development challenges.
*HE Mahash Alhameli is the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to South Africa.
