Opinion – Water resilience and road to 2026 UN Water Conference

Abu Dhabi is set to host a major milestone in global water diplomacy as the United Arab Emirates and Senegal prepare to co-host the 2026 United Nations Water Conference from 8 to 10 December 2026. The gathering will be the third dedicated UN Water Conference in history, following the first in Mar del Plata, Argentina in 1977 and the second in New York in 2023, which was co-hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan.

The 2026 conference carries diplomatic significance as the first UN conference of its kind to be co-hosted by two countries from the Global South. In bringing together governments, international organisations, civil society, academia, youth representatives and Indigenous Peoples, the conference is expected to reinforce international cooperation around one of the world’s most urgent development challenges: ensuring access to safe water and sanitation for all.

At the heart of the conference is Sustainable Development Goal 6, which calls for the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation worldwide. The UAE and Senegal have positioned the conference as a platform to accelerate implementation, strengthen partnerships, mobilise finance and translate political momentum into practical initiatives.