UAE and Senegal to Co-Host 2026 UN Water Conference

Kathmandu: The 2026 United Nations Water Conference will be held from 2–4 December 2026 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), co-hosted with Senegal. The conference aims to accelerate Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), enhance global water governance, and elevate water-related issues on the international agenda.

Since the UN 2023 Water Conference, the UN has launched the first System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation and appointed its first Special Envoy on Water. The preparatory process for 2026 includes an organizational session in March 2025 in New York, a high-level international meeting in Dakar, regional and global preparatory meetings, and consultations incorporating other major water-related events. Participation will include governments, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, Indigenous Peoples, the private sector, and international financial institutions. A global online consultation gathered 495 inputs from 478 organizations across 87 countries to help shape the conference dialogues.

Senegal has launched key initiatives to strengthen water security. In June 2025, the International Doctoriales of Water Sciences in Dakar brought together over 200 participants to discuss water security, climate impacts, and regional geopolitics (NEPAD Water CoE). Earlier, in February 2025, the Water Caravan in the Niayes region engaged communities on water conservation and equitable distribution (GRET).

The Mamelles Desalination Plant, operational in 2025, produces 50,000 cubic meters of potable water daily, supplying nearly half of Dakar’s needs (Wikipedia). In August 2024, Senegal suspended mining along the Faleme River until June 2027 to reduce pollution and protect agriculture and biodiversity (Reuters).

The UAE brings expertise in water management in arid environments, while Senegal provides insights from West Africa’s water challenges. Together, they aim to engage all stakeholders—governments, civil society, private sector, and international organizations—to accelerate SDG 6 implementation and promote sustainable water management globally.