UAE and Senegal Unite for 2026 UN Water Conference: A Call to Action

The UAE and Senegal co-hosted a session at the UN, spotlighting global water challenges ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference. This event underscored their commitment to SDG 6 and the need for collaborative action. High-level speeches emphasized the urgency of addressing water issues worldwide.

The United Arab Emirates and Senegal, set to host the 2026 UN Water Conference, initiated global discussion with an Organisational Session at the UN Headquarters in New York on March 3, 2025. This session, as directed by the 2024 resolution, offered a platform for member states and key stakeholders to share insights on the conference's six interactive dialogues.

Focusing on global water challenges, these dialogues aim to expedite progress on Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring water and sanitation for all. Addressing attendees, UAE's Abdulla Ahmed Balalaa and Senegal's Cheikh Tidiane Dieye reiterated their countries' commitment to a collaborative, impactful 2026 Conference that advances global water management.

Balalaa highlighted the UAE's historical and future ties to water, stressing international cooperation and technological innovation as tools for global water action. Dieye called the 2026 Conference a critical opportunity to transform commitments into actions, advocating for an inclusive process. Participants were urged to elevate global water priorities, addressing alarming statistics like 2.2 billion people lacking clean drinking water.

(With inputs from agencies.)