IWMI at the 2026 UN Water Conference

The 2026 UN Water Conference is just the third of its kind in the last 50 years. Jointly hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, it is the first UN Conference dedicated to Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. 

The Conference is a once-in-a-generation moment to reset commitments on water and, as such, is pivotal for global water governance. It is expected to produce a concise, action-oriented outcome that strengthens political commitment, implementation pathways and partnerships for water across the Sustainable Development Goals and related multilateral processes. The goal is to place water center stage, build momentum and turn inclusive dialogue and co-creation into transformative progress. 

IWMI is pleased to be part of this process delivering evidence, policy, and solutions to enable, scale and accelerate outcomes for water security — beyond research. The water cycle is the common denominator across the UN Conventions. It connects climate, biodiversity, land and wetlands through a single Earth system.