The UAE mobilizes global efforts to accelerate effective solutions in the field of water

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs placed the water issue at the top of its priorities during its participation in the London Climate Action Week this year, as part of the UAE’s preparations to host the United Nations Water Conference 2026 in partnership with the Republic of Senegal, during the period from 8 to 10 December 2026 in Abu Dhabi.

Water represents an essential foundation for the prosperity, growth, and resilience of cities. In light of the increasing challenges facing urban cities as a result of water stress, floods, and the high demand for water resources, decision-makers in the public and private sectors are increasingly interested in the role of water systems and the water economy in enhancing support for the resilience of communities and enhancing the sustainability of economies.

In this context, Assistant Secretary of State for Energy and Sustainability Affairs, Abdullah Al-Alaa, held a number of high-level meetings and events on the sidelines of London Climate Action Week, in the presence of government officials, representatives of multilateral institutions, leaders from the private sector, and young people from various parts of the world, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of practical and applicable solutions in order to enhance water resilience.

The UAE worked with its partners, as part of a broader program of participation and activities during the London Climate Action Week, to mobilize investments, strengthen partnerships, and accelerate the implementation of initiatives and events in support of the sixth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals on water and sanitation, which contributes to strengthening international momentum in preparation for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.

The country’s participation also included organizing a high-level closed panel discussion hosted by the Global Goals Forum in London, with the participation of senior officials and decision-makers in the fields of public policies, infrastructure, technology and finance, to discuss ways to enhance the resilience of cities in the face of water challenges. The discussions shed light on mechanisms for integrating water issues into urban planning, financing and governance systems.

Abdullah Al-Alaa said during the roundtable session: “The water issue has always received less attention than it deserves, even though it constitutes the basis on which cities are based on their prosperity, growth, and resilience. Dealing with water as less important than basic infrastructure represents the core of the challenge that we must address today. The obstacle is not a lack of ambition, but rather in how to implement solutions on a large scale by integrating water into the planning, investment, and governance systems that make up our cities.”

The Global Goals Forum meeting formed part of a large series of high-level participations led by His Excellency throughout the week, which included water, energy and sustainability issues, including participation in the activities of the World Economic Forum, a meeting with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and contribution to broad discussions led by the UAE in the fields of energy and sustainability, including initiatives related to the “Masdar” global programs for clean energy and climate action.

The event, in which His Excellency participated, and which was jointly organized with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, focused on empowering and inspiring young leaders during the “Between Abundance and Scarcity: Water in a Warming World” program.

Participants discussed the growing challenges associated with water scarcity and floods, with the participation of leaders from the philanthropy, public policy and youth sectors, stressing the importance of adopting a more comprehensive and collaborative approach to develop practical solutions that enhance water resilience.

Speaking during the event with a group of youth leaders, His Excellency added: “As part of our preparations to host the United Nations Water Conference 2026, we are facing a pivotal moment to move from ambitions to implementation. We must view water as basic infrastructure, provide practical paths to finance large-scale water resilience projects, and strengthen partnerships between cities and various sectors to accelerate the pace of achievement.”

Water-related talks during London Climate Action Week focused on ways to move from pledges to actual implementation, emphasizing the need to deal with water as a basic urban infrastructure, enhancing financing and implementing water resilience projects at the city level, in addition to strengthening cooperation between all concerned parties.

Participants also stressed that solutions are already available, but achieving progress requires greater alignment between policies, finance and data, and making use of digital tools and artificial intelligence technologies to improve risk management and support decision-making at the city level, reflecting the growing status of water, alongside energy and climate, as one of the urgent global priorities.