Abu dhabi: The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently convened a briefing attended by over 150 representatives from the diplomatic community in the UAE. This included more than 76 foreign ambassadors in the UAE and eight representatives from international organizations. The briefing was part of the preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, which is set to take place in Abu Dhabi at the end of this year.
According to Emirates News Agency, the briefing was led by Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability. It highlighted the mandate and global significance of the conference, as well as key progress to date. This includes the adoption by consensus of the themes for the interactive dialogues at the UN General Assembly in July 2025 and the selection of co-chairs earlier this year.
During the meeting, Abdulla Balalaa emphasized the essential role of each member state and stakeholder. He stated that the presence of ambassadors and representatives of international organizations is key to amplifying the conference's messaging, ensuring high-level representation, broad stakeholder engagement, and unlocking opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. This involvement aims to deliver a conference in Abu Dhabi that leaves a strong footprint on the global water agenda and accelerates progress across shared priorities.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the co-chairs of the interactive dialogues provided an update on progress to date. This included the development of a structured engagement plan with the co-chairs since the beginning of the year, regular coordination meetings, and the advancement of detailed workplans, including the identification and development of flagship initiatives.
The 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi on December 8-10, 2026, is the first UN Conference dedicated to accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) on clean water and sanitation. It represents a critical opportunity to shift the trajectory of the global water agenda. Currently, 2.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, 2.4 billion people live in water-stressed areas, and an estimated US$6.7 trillion investment gap remains to meet global water-related goals.