The UAE and Senegal hold a meeting for representatives of the 12 countries that chair the interactive dialogues for… "UN Water Conference 2026"
ABU DHABI, 14 APRIL / WAM / The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Senegal, as joint host countries of the United Nations Water Conference 2026, held a high-level virtual meeting, with the participation of ministers and senior officials representing the twelve countries that are chairing the six interactive dialogues of the conference. This meeting is the second of its kind following the high-level preparatory meeting held in Dakar on January 26 and 27, 2026.
The meeting contributed to strengthening high-level political consensus and establishing coherence among key priorities. It also provided an opportunity to review the progress made in preparations for each interactive dialogue, while identifying aspects of complementarity between the six dialogues. The ministers and senior officials also exchanged views on ways to advance the water issue on the global agenda, maintain political momentum, mobilize resources, and advance coordinated and sustainable action in the long term.
During the meeting, His Excellency Abdullah Al-Alaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability Affairs, stressed that despite the current circumstances, the UAE, at the highest political levels, remains steadfast in its commitment to holding a successful and influential conference that achieves a tangible impact.
His Excellency added: “What we are building together is unprecedented. Expectations are high, and I am confident that through joint work we will be able to achieve a real transformation at the 2026 United Nations Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.”
For his part, His Excellency Sheikh Tijani Diy, Minister of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of Senegal, pointed out that in light of the increasing challenges in an ever-changing world, we must make water a major driver of peace, solidarity and development. “Securing the future of this vital resource for people and planet Earth requires effective cooperation, innovative and adequate investments and, above all, responsible, action-oriented multilateralism for the benefit of people, biodiversity and future generations.”
This meeting comes as a continuation of two months of intense coordination at the technical level between the two countries hosting the conference and the six dialogue chairs. In this context, the technical focal points of the twelve countries held a meeting on March 25 in Rome, on the sidelines of the forty-third meeting of the UN-Water Conference, which is considered the largest of its kind, where action plans were reviewed, work methods were harmonized, and coordination with the United Nations system was strengthened throughout the preparatory process.
The 2026 United Nations Water Conference, hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi, aims to accelerate the implementation of Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is related to ensuring the availability of water and sanitation services for all, and their sustainable management.
It is noteworthy that the presidency of the interactive dialogues that were chosen in January 2026 was as follows:
• Water for the People: Ghana and Switzerland
• Water for Prosperity: China and Spain
• Water for Planet Earth: Egypt and Japan
• Water for Cooperation: Finland and Zambia
• Water in multilateral action: Germany and Mexico
• Investments for water: France and South Africa
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