United for Water

Good morning, everyone. Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to welcome you to this high-level event entitled United for Water, a call for collective action. At the outset, allow me to express our sincere appreciation to the co-chairs of today's event, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal, in collaboration with the Global Water Organization. We will begin with the opening remarks from our distinguished co-chairs. It is my honor to first give the floor to His Excellency, Dr. Abd al-Rahman Al-Raswi, Deputy Minister of International Affairs and General Supervisor of the Economic and Development Affairs Deputysip at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it's a pleasure to welcome the distinguished group of colleagues the ministers present here today, and to our esteemed partner from UN and other international organizations. I thank the Republic of Senegal and the Global Water Organization for their shared efforts and support on convening this gathering. Our collective proposal extends beyond restating the significance of water. It is to lay out a clear path forward as well as recognize water is fundamental to international security, economic development, and global resilience. We in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recognize what is at stake. Safe, accessible, and secure water is not merely a convenience. It is fundamental to human well-being and to the resilience of our communities. Availability alone cannot resolve this crisis. Accessibility and sound governance are equally decisive in determining whether, excuse me, those who depends on it. Water challenges transcend national borders. Growing scarcity coupled with rising demand is placing under unprecedented strain on shared water resources. And no nation stands apart from these pressures. Addressing these challenges effectively requires stronger regional and international cooperation underpinned by a genuine commitment to collective action. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia understands this reality perhaps more actually than most. and one of the world's most water-scarce environments, we are transforming a daunting challenge into the extraordinary achievement. We are leading exemplary work in the water sector, and today, the Kingdom stands as the world's largest producer of desalinated water. For us, water security remains central to a sustainable development, economic resilience, environmental protection, and global stability. It is a cornerstone of our vision for development. Through our National Water Strategy 2030, we have placed water governance at the heart of our national transformation, ensuring that our approach to water is deliberate, forward-looking and built to last. Central to this progress has been sustained investment in technology and innovation, which continue to enhance water management and accelerate the development of innovative solutions. This experience has taught us that water diplomacy can transform shared challenges into opportunities for cooperation. It is served as an important instrument for dialogue, trust, and partnership. This event held under the theme United for Water represents an important opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitments toward water issues. Your Excellencies, Water security cannot be viewed in isolation from broader regional and global security. The resilience of water system is closely linked to the security of critical maritime routes. And maritime security, in turn, is fundamental to regional and global stability. against the backdrop of current regional development, safeguarding freedom of navigation and ensuring the security of waterways remains critical to global economic stability and shared prosperity. It is with this understanding that we approach the work ahead. Meeting the water challenges of our time will require the same spirit of cooperation and maritime security and global stability demands, which is recognition that our fate, like our water, are shared. I thank you.

I thank Your Excellency for those remarks. It is now my honor to give the floor to Her Excellency, Ms. Amina Tattore, High Representative of the President of the Republic of Senegal. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Excellencies, Ministers, Head of Delegation, Representative of International Organization, ladies and gentlemen. Allow me, first of all, to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this initiative and for its leadership in establishing the global water organization. The theme bringing us together today, United for Water, a call for collective actions, comes at a particular critical moment. The world is well aware of the challenges surrounding water. We know that they affect all strategic sectors and the stability of our societies. In Africa, it especially affects women and girls in charge of collecting water. Yet today, we face a more fundamental question: How can we make water a genuine political priority within multilateralism and transform our commitment into tangible results for people today and for generations to come? Water is a responsibility of the present, but also a responsibility toward the future. Today's youth will bear the consequences of our decision, inherit our infrastructure, our institution, and our water resources. We must therefore view water resource planning and management in the long term and lay the groundwork now for a more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous future. This is the very essence of United for Water and this call to action. Ladies and gentlemen, As you may be aware, Senegal has acceded to the charter of the Global Water Organization, the ratification of which was unanimously approved by the country's National Assembly. We view this organization as an opportunity to create an additional space for dialogues, cooperation, partnership, and the sharing of experience among nations. In a world marked by geopolitical tension, climate change, and sometimes lack of confidence in multilateral institution, we need such framework. Indeed, water can be an area where we continue to build common ground. For water connects us, it crosses borders, links territories, brings sectors together, and engages us many generations. It reminds us that our interdependencies should not be viewed as a source of vulnerability, but rather as a tremendous opportunity for cooperation. This is the conviction Senegal has upheld for many decades. Our water diplomacy has been built through transboundary cooperation, notably within the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River, called OMVS, and the Gambia River Basin Development Organization. It has also made its marks on the international stage. It is worth recalling that when Senegal held the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in 2016, we championed the water, peace and security agenda, highlighting the role of water in preventing tension, fostering cooperation between states and consolidating lasting peace. Our experience teaches us that a chair basin need not be a theater for competition. It can become a space of trust, solidarity, and shared prosperity. Ladies and gentlemen, this vision also guided Senegal when organizing the ninth World Water Forum in Dakar, which during which we launched the Blue Deal for Water and Sanitation Security for Peace and Development. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly congratulate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on hosting the 11th World Water Forum in March 2027, following Bali 2024 and Dakar 2022. These initiatives should not be viewed as isolated events. They can help gradually build a more coherent international architecture around water. This is precisely in this spirit that we must look to the future. Ladies and gentlemen, the year 2026 offer an exceptional opportunity to give fresh momentum to this agenda. In Africa, Senegal, through its presidency of the African Minister Council on Water, the African Year of Water and the implementation of the new African water vision Senegal is working with the African Union to ensure a common African position to be heard. At the global level, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates have the honor to co-host the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi this coming December. The aim is to advance SDG 6, but also to place water back in the heart of major agendas regarding development climate change, peace, and multilateralism. In this regard, the conference's six interactive dialogues offer a particularly relevant policy framework centered on people, including women, prosperity, the planet, cooperation, multilateral processes, and investment. The challenge now is to link this dimension through actions. Commitment must translate into concrete action and result for the people. Ladies and gentlemen, the 2026 conference also represent a strategic moment to reflect on the future of global water governance. it would be wise to start looking beyond 2030. The 2026 conference, the 2027 SDG Summit, and the next UN Water Conference in 2028 can be viewed as successive stages of the same dynamics. This continuity could enable us to better prepare the post-2023 agenda. keep water at the heart of the multilateral system, and above all, strengthen our collective capacity to accelerate action. That is why Senegal supports considerably the frequency of UN water conferences and establishing a framework to ensure follow-up on the commitment made. We must not simply multiply the number of meetings. We need to better link them, ensuring political continuity making sure that each step allows us to go further. Ladies and gentlemen, the creation of the Global Water Organization, therefore, comes at a particular opportune moment. It can provide a framework where states, international organization, financial institution, scientists, businesses, and civil society can engage in dialogue, share experiences, pool expertise, and build partnership. It can also help strengthen the role of water diplomacy, a diplomacy based on dialogue, trust, and cooperation, capable of transforming our interdependency into opportunities and making water an instrument of stability and peace. This is precisely what will enable us to embark on a new chapter in global water governance by connecting initiative, institution, and agenda in pursuing our shared ambition. Water must remain at the heart of multilateralism because it represents a shared responsibility that lie at the core of our collective trust. Senegal is fully committed to this process. We stand ready to continue this dialogue, share our experience, and work with all partners to make water a realm of enhanced cooperation and a driver of collective action. United for Water must be more than just a call for action. It must become a method, a responsibility, and a shared ambition for the people, the planet, and the future generation. I thank you.

I thank you, Your Excellency, for those remarks. It is now my pleasure to introduce remarks from the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Water, Her Excellency Ms. Retno Marsudi, who unfortunately could not join us here in New York today, but has kindly sent a recorded statement.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Senegal, and the Global Water Organization for inviting me to this event. I apologize that I cannot attend in person. Colleagues, the world we are living in today is at a crunch point. Our effort in implementing SDG 6 are moving forward, but not fast enough. We have just four years left before the deadline to ensure water and sanitation for all. And beyond this globally agreed target, the outlook is not well. Water availability is projected to decline. contrary to the growing demand driven by the world population and expanding economic and social activities. One in every four people in this world is yet to have access to safe drinking water. 3.5 billion still lack access to safely managed sanitation. Therefore, we need to unite and we need to act collectively. In this regard, allow me to highlight three things. First, Alignment of priorities. It is imperative that all global works and initiative on water are heading to collective direction. With the limited time and resources, we can no longer afford being fragmented and separated in our approach and initiative. Second, we must set vision on the milestones ahead. We must take into account the upcoming milestone for global water process. the 2026 UN Water Conference, the 2027 World Water Forum, and the 2028 UN Water Conference as the most immediate milestone ahead. There are opportunities and checkpoints to stocktake success and evaluate the efforts. And I do believe that GWO could offer many action-oriented cooperation. What the people need is action action and action. And last, attention to those in needs. We carry responsibility to prove that international cooperation matters and multilateralism delivers. International cooperation and multilateralism are keys to address the more complex challenges on the ground. The global water organization could offer solutions such as data and knowledge, technology and innovation, all the way to financing and investment. We must bring practical and meaningful contribution to those countries in needs. And I do believe this event will highlight those practical and meaningful solution. Once again, I appreciate the leadership of Saudi Arabia on global water agenda, as well as the continued support to my work as the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy on Water. I also appreciate the stewardship of Senegal, together with the UAE, in the preparation on the 2026 UN Water Conference. I stand ready to working with you all, and I thank you very much.

I thank the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy on Water for her remarks. I now have the pleasure to give the floor to His Excellency Dr. Fahad Al Ghanim, head of the founding team of the Global Water Organization. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Allow me to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the co-chairs, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal, for convening us today and for their continued leadership in elevating water on the international agenda. Water systems around the world are under growing strain. Rising demand, over-extraction, pollution, and increasingly frequent flood and droughts are placing mounting pressure on water resources across regions. The human consequences are immense. Around 2.2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water, while 3.4 billion live without safely managed sanitation. By 2050, the global urban population facing water scarcity could reach 2.4 billion. Water underpins public health, food security, economic development, climate resilience, and stability. When water systems are strained, the effects reach far beyond the water sector. Addressing these interconnected challenges requires stronger international cooperation around shared priorities and practical action. Your presence here reflects the importance the international community places on water. We must now translate that commitment into tangible results. Considerable knowledge, expertise, and proven solutions already exist. Sustainable Development Goal 6, the Water Action Agenda, and years of international engagement provide a strong foundation. The task is to apply that experience where countries need it most and accelerate its deployment at scale. This means aligning financing with credible priorities, accelerating high-impact innovation, strengthening access to reliable data, and building institutional capacity for implementation. Each country and institution represented here brings a distinct mandate, capability, and contribution. The direction should be shared. Countries need a permanent mechanism to turn that shared direction into coordinated action. As the first and only global intergovernmental organization dedicated exclusively to water, GWO provides governments with a permanent platform to set shared priorities and connect them with the expertise, financing, and partnerships needed to pursue them. GWO aims to advance water security through stronger cooperation while complementing existing mandates and capabilities across the international water landscape. GWO is here as a partner, ready to work alongside governments, United Nations entities, multilateral development banks, and the wider water community. We invite all United Nations member states and regional intergovernmental economic integration organizations to join this effort and the institutions represented here to work with us. Collective action asks each of us to bring our strongest capabilities to a purpose we hold in common. On water security, The need for that shared purpose has never been more urgent. Thank you very much.

I thank your excellency for those remarks. Your excellency's Thank you for your thoughtful remarks, which have provided a strong foundation for the discussion ahead. We will now move to the high-level intervention segment, which will provide an opportunity to hear the perspectives of member states on key water issues and opportunities for collective actions. Should you wish to take the floor, I kindly invite you to indicate your interest by pressing the microphone button. I also have a list of speakers before me, and I would like to begin by inviting Her Excellency, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you so much. Your Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to deliver a statement on behalf of Hungary. Water security is a matter of paramount importance for Hungary. This summer, the extremely low water level of the Danube once again reminded us how vulnerable our societies are to changing water conditions. Hungary, like many other European countries, has been severely affected by drought in a trend that is being intensified by climate change. But water does not stop at borders. The prolonged periods of exceptionally low water levels have interconnected impacts on navigation fairways, affecting transport and connectivity. energy supplies, tourism, the availability and quality of surface and groundwater, the ecosystems and biodiversity, soil degradation in vulnerable areas. As a Central European country whose major rivers enter our territory from neighboring countries, Hungary knows that our water security depends on good neighborly relations, trust, and functioning international frameworks. The cross-border and cross-sectoral nature of these challenges requires immediate and coordinated responses and a stronger coordinated intersectoral and long-term focus on prevention, preparedness, adaptation and resilience, addressing floods, including ice-related flood risks, droughts, low flow conditions and relating cascading impacts. And we need to think seriously about the future of cooperation beyond Agenda 2030. The upcoming UN voter conference in Abu Dhabi in December provides an important opportunity to demonstrate political leadership, to address these complex and intersectoral challenges and to strengthen international cooperation and translate our commitments into concrete action towards a voter secure future. For Hungary, the UN voter convention is a particularly important instrument. It provides a strong legal and institutional framework for sustainable management of transboundary waters and for cooperation between countries sharing rivers, lakes and groundwater. Since its opening to all UN member states, it has become a truly global platform for advancing transboundary water cooperation. We therefore attach great importance to strengthening cooperation and both bilateral and multilateral levels and to promoting the principles and practical experience of the voter convention. Our message today is simple. Shared voters require shared responsibility. Shared challenges requires shared solutions. Voter security requires strong international cooperation and commitment. Commitment to sometimes difficult policy changes and to implementation with urgency. Let us therefore act together across borders, across regions, and across continents to ensure that water, instead of disputes, becomes a source of shared responsibility, international cooperation, and resilience. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you so much, Your Excellency, for your remarks. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you, excellencies, distinguished colleagues, and dear participants. It is a pleasure to join you today. I would like to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Senegal, and the Global Water Organization for bringing us together at a very important moment for the global water agenda. For Tajikistan, water has never been simply one issue among many. As a mountainous country and home to thousands of glaciers, we see very directly how closely water is connected with people's lives, food and energy, economic development and ecosystems, and our ability to adapt to a changing climate. This understanding has shaped Tajikistan's international engagement for more than two decades. Under the leadership of our president, our country has advanced a series of global initiatives through the United Nations, from the International Year of Freshwater and the International Decade Water for Life to the International Year of Water Cooperation and the current International Decade for Action, Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028. The Dushanbe Water Process has become an important part of these efforts. Its purpose has always been practical, to bring governments, the United Nations, international organizations, financial institutions, civil society, science, and the private sector together, and to keep attention focused on implementation. Earlier this year, we hosted the fourth Dushanbe Water Conference. At the conference, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Mr. Emomali Rahmon, proposed the Dushanbe water framework. The idea behind it is quite simple. The end of the water action decade in 2028 cannot mean the end of our collective efforts on water. The challenges will remain with us and in many cases they will become more difficult. What we need is continuity, stronger cooperation and a clearer basis for action beyond 2028 and beyond 2030. For this reason, we particularly welcome the important decision taken by UN General Assembly on 2nd September this year, when member states adopted by consensus the resolution on the modalities of the 2028 United Nations Water Conference. The resolution provides for the conference to be held in Dushanbe from 4th to 6th May 2028 and confirms that it will constitute the final comprehensive review of the implementation of the objectives of the International Decade for Action, Water for Sustainable Development 2000. 18 2028. Importantly, the conference will adopt by consensus its sole outcome document and intergovernmentally negotiated non-binding and action-oriented document to be known as the Dushanbe Water Framework. This is important opportunity to ensure that the experience and lessons of the World Water Decade are translated into stronger implementation, greater cooperation, and sustained action beyond 2028. This gives us an important opportunity. The 2023 UN Water Conference created renewed political momentum. The forthcoming 2026 conference in Abu Dhabi should help accelerate implementation. the preparatory process in 2027 and the 2028 conference in Dushanbe should then allow us to assess where we stand and agree together on the way forward. We therefore see these conferences not as separate events, but as parts of one continuous process. We appreciate the initiative and leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in creating the organization and providing, I mean Global Water Organization, and providing it with a home in Riyadh. What is especially important in our view is the practical orientation of the Global Water Organization, bringing together international cooperation with resource and innovation, reliable data, stronger policies and governance, capacity building and access to financing can help close to the gap between the commitments we make and what actually happens on the ground. Taking into account the importance that Tajikistan attaches to the objectives and future work, of the organization, the government of the Republic of Tajikistan is ready to cooperate with global water organization. We also see considerable potential for cooperation between the global water organization and the process leading to the 2028 United Nations Water Conference and the Dushanbe Water Framework. Our objective should ultimately be a very practical one to turn political attention to water into better cooperation, greater investment, stronger capacity, and tangible improvements in people's lives. Tajikistan stands ready to work closely with the global water organization, its member states, the United Nations, and all partners toward this common goal. Tajikistan looks forward to continue close cooperation with all partners in the lead up to the 2028 United Nations Water Conference in Dushanbe. Thank you for your attention.

I thank Your Excellency for those remarks. And now, I give the floor to His Excellency Foreign Minister of Tunisia.

No, absolutely. I feel honored. Allow me, at the outset, to commend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Senegal for convening this important event and for their call for collective action to advance our shared priorities on this crucial issue, water. We welcome the establishment of the Global Water Organization in May 2025 and look forward to the 11th World Water Forum next year. We also commend Senegal and the United Arab Emirates for their efforts in preparing the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to be held in Abu Dhabi in December. We support all initiatives aiming at advancing issues at the UN and in the international agenda. Water security is indeed fundamental to sustainable development, food security, public health and stability. Yet growing demand, water scarcity, pollution and increasingly frequent climate related emergency are placed water systems under growing pressure. We must therefore move decisively from commitments to implementation and from dialogue to concrete, measurable and adequately financed action. Tunisia is ready to contribute to this collective effort, taking into consideration the substantial investment accomplished so far in water infrastructure and the important experience we have developed so far in water mobilization, transfer, drinking water supply, sanitation and water use. At the same time, our country is facing increasing water stress, exacerbated by recurrent droughts, declining dam reserves, growing demand for drinking water and irrigation, and the growing energy costs of water management. Our water strategy towards 2050 seeks at strengthening water security through greater efficiency, expanded use of treated wastewater, reduced energy use, and development of non-conventional water resources. However, implementing this strategy will certainly require approximately $24 billion This underscores a fundamental challenge shared by many countries. The need to bridge the gap between ambition and implementation, real implementation, by mobilizing adequate and accessible financing. Tunisia is eager to explore further perspectives to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation, particularly in water management, technology, innovation, and access to financing. And we shall contribute actively to the success of the 2026 UN Water Conference and the 11th World Water Forum with a view aiming at accelerating concrete actions towards the achievement of the SDG 6 on water and sanitation. And I thank you so much.

I thank Your Excellency for your remarks. I now give the floor to His Excellency, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Please, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Moderator, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues. Allow me at the outset to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal for their continued leadership and for convening this important discussion together with the Global Water Organization. The theme of today's event reflects a simple reality. Water security is no longer only an environmental or development issue. It is increasingly a matter of resilience, stability, food and energy security, prosperity and peace. The challenges are particularly acute in water-stressed and climate-vulnerable regions such as Central Asia. The Aral Sea crisis reminds us of the consequences of unsustainable water management from the past, while drop of water levels and ecological degradation of the Caspian Sea basin is an ongoing real-life challenge for our people. At the same time, Central Asia demonstrates that shared water resources can be a platform for dialogue, trust and regional cooperation. The International Fund for Saving Aral Sea is a proven and time tested regional partnership showing how nations can come together and address common issues in a practical manner. Water was also high on the agenda of the Regional Ecological Summit. Kazakhstan hosted this year in Astana in partnership with the United Nations. Distinguished colleagues, our task now is, as everyone stressed, is to move from dialogue to action. But action requires resources. We should therefore strengthen partnerships among governments, international organizations, development banks, and the private sector, including through blended finance and public-private partnerships. In December 2025, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan proposed exploring the establishment of an international water organization under the auspices of the United Nations. We strongly believe that the UN needs more coherent governance architecture. The aim is not to create parallel bureaucracy, but to foster collaboration, to unify fragmented efforts, and provide a permanent coordination platform that has a clear mandate and institutional status within the UN system. Over the last several months, we have been organizing consultations and closely working with member states involved in preparations of the UN Water Conference. We believe that such an entity will enable better coordination and delivery of UN mandates and will only benefit from engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, including platforms such as the Global Water Organization. Kazakhstan highly appreciates Saudi Arabia's leadership in establishing this new important organization. I would like to congratulate our friends from Saudi Arabia and the GW founding team on the signing of the organization's charter and the successful launch of its operation. In our view, the GW has the potential to become an important international platform for strengthening water security, promoting technological cooperation, mobilizing financing, and advancing the sustainable management of water resources. Dear colleagues, global water risks are intensifying. There is no single solution to the problem. Our goal should be to create synergy by building bridges between different initiatives. And the upcoming UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi will provide an important opportunity to advance this agenda. Also, the 11th World Water Forum in Saudi Arabia in March 2027, the SDG Summit, and the 2028 Water Conference in Dushanbe will help us chart the path forward. But let us look beyond the horizon and find a long-term strategy to make multilateral system work better. I thank you.

Thank you, Your Excellency. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Under-Secretary of State for the Environment and Energy Security of Italy.

Excellencies, colleagues, Italy welcomes this opportunity to discuss how to transform the growing international attention paid to water into concrete, effective, collective action. The message we must carry from New York to Abu Dhabi is clear. No country can tackle the water challenges of our time alone. Climate change, increasing resource scarcity, droughts, floods, pollution, and competition among different users are placing ever greater pressure on our water resources. For this reason, international cooperation must be at the heart of our response. This cooperation cannot be limited to dialogue. It must increasingly become an implementation tool capable of linking political commitments to projects, investments, technologies, knowledge, and capacity building. The 2023 UN Nations Water Conference marked an important step in this direction. Through the Water Action Agenda, governments and stakeholders translated political ambition into voluntary commitments. The challenge now is to ensure that these commitments are renewed, yield even more concrete and measurable results, and effectively contribute to achieving SDG 6. In fact, Achieving SDG 6 remains a distant goal. It requires a decisive shift in pace, driven by enhanced implementation capacity, adequate investment, and more impactful international cooperation. Italy is committed to this path. Our actions at both national and international levels put the emphasis on improving water use efficiency, modernizing infrastructure, and reducing losses, strengthening monitoring and forecasting capabilities, promoting reuse and other sustainable non-conventional sources, and developing integrated approaches that jointly consider water, energy, food, and ecosystems. At the same time, recognize that technology alone is not enough. Many countries still face significant financial, institutional and technical obstacles in transforming available solutions into concrete implementable projects. Therefore, Collective action means building capacity, facilitating access to finance, forging partnerships that bring together governments, international financial institutions, private sectors, research community, and local communities. This approach is important because Italy firmly supports integrated water resources management and transboundary cooperation, recognizing that sharing knowledge, data, and solutions can transform water from a source of vulnerability into an opportunity for cooperation and shared development. The upcoming UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi must therefore be an implementation-oriented conference. not only an occasion to reaffirm existing commitments, but a moment to accelerate their realization, to strengthen partnership and mobilize the resources needed to achieve concrete results. Our ambition must also extend beyond Abu Dhabi. This conference is part of an international process leading to the 2028 UN Water Conference in Dushanbe, which will conduct a final review of the International Decade for Action, Water for Sustainable Development, and provide further impetus to global action on water. This arrangement put particular emphasis on implementation, partnership, international cooperation, and the sharing of best practices. Italy stands ready to contribute to this collective effort. Our goal must be to transform cooperation into implementation and implementation into concrete, measurable progress toward water security for all. Thank you.

And thank you, Your Excellency, for your remarks. I now give the floor to Her Excellency, Director General for the United Nations International Organizations and Human Rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain. You have the floor.

Thank you. Excellencies, dear colleagues, it is a privilege to address you today at this ministerial meeting. I would like to begin by expressing our appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Senegal for their leadership in advancing international cooperation on water, which is a shared concern for all of us. The Sevilla Commitment, adopted by the UN General Assembly Resolution 79/322 shortly after the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development held in July 2025, stressed that closing the significant infrastructure gap in critical sectors, including water and sanitation, will greatly improve access to essential services, employment opportunities, economic growth, and sustainable development. Progress on SDG 6, ensuring availability and sustainable management of safe water and sanitation for all, directly contributes to poverty reduction, food security, public health, education, gender equality, climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable economic growth. Failure to achieve this SDG therefore undermines progress against many other SDGs. Despite the progress made, the UN and other multilateral institutions continue to highlight the significant gap that exists in achieving universal and sustainable access to water and sanitation. According to WHO, UNICEF, over 2 billion people lack of safe drinking water, and around half the world's population lacks safely managed sanitation in some form. Closing this gap requires a stronger international cooperation, the deployment of technological solutions at a scale, enhanced capacity building efforts, and more effective and inclusive water governance. In this context, Spain considers water to be a strategic issue, and the achievement of the SDG 6 remains a priority for Spain and for our international development cooperation. Spain has accumulated extensive experience in integrated water resources management, river basin governance, water reuse, desalinization, digitalization, and drought management. And we stand ready to share this expertise with partners around the world. With the Spanish Corporation Fund for Water and Sanitation, more than 4 million people have gained access to water and better sanitation. Moreover, Spain considers water a critical resource and a fundamental human right. is there essential to adopt an ambitious and integrated approach to sustainable water resources management, taking into account its interconnections with ecosystems, climate, food production, and energy systems, and public health. Achieving SDG 6 regards us to strengthen cooperation between stakeholders at the global level. That is why more than one year after the signing of the G20 charter, we welcome the progress achieved in laying the foundations for this organization. We believe that it has the potential to become an important platform for cooperation, knowledge sharing, and practical action to address global water challenges. Spain believes in strengthening global water governance and inclusive multilateralism. The 2026 UN Water Conference is a decisive opportunity to translate political commitments into verifiable progress. stable cooperation structures and effective follow-up mechanism will enable a coherent intergovernmental process beyond 2026. Let me conclude by reaffirming once again Spain's strong commitment to water and sanitation. The ratification of the GWO charter remains a priority for Spain and we look forward to continuing to work with all founding members as we prepare for the first General Assembly and the next stage in the development of the global water organization. Thank you very much.

I thank you, Excellency, for your remarks. I now give the floor to Her Excellency, Ambassador for the Environment of the Republic of France.

Thank you, Madam. Excellencies, ministers, ladies and gentlemen, first, I would like to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Senegal, and the Global Water Organization for organizing this meeting. Water has often lacked the political visibility it deserves, and it now needs to be put higher than it ever was on the political agenda. I would like to recall, but you know that here, that there is no dry activity on earth. Our health, livelihoods, agriculture, climate, environment, soils, economy, industry, energy, transportation systems, and so on, all rely on the prosperity and stability of the global water cycle. Our need for water is vital, and it will become even more acute in the coming decades as the global population grows and new highly water-intensive economic sectors develop, foremost among them the digital sector and AI. As we are now entering an era of global water bankruptcy, no country is spared. The consequences are now reaching temperate regions that have traditionally been spared. Water supply will become less and less predictable and increasingly erratic. This summer, for instance, France had to face devastating wildfire and is still facing a historical drought in several regions. Many other countries are facing the same alarming situations. We will need to work on managing the sharing of water among all stakeholders and secure value chains amid geopolitical instability and growing pressure on resources. Yet governance of this issue remains highly fragmented within the United Nations. We have this year a great opportunity to strengthen it. The UN Water Conference in December is a pivotal opportunity to demonstrate that water is not only a challenge, but an enabler of prosperity for all societies. As the cost of ensuring access to water and sustainable resources management are estimated at more than 1,000 billion per year, and the use of fresh water generates an estimated annual economic value of 58,000 billion, approximately 60% of global GDP, water remains undervalued and underfunded on a global scale. And as you may know, Francisco, chairing the dialogue on investment for water for the United Nations Water Conference with our dear colleagues from South Africa. With them, we aim to build a shared vision to move from recognizing the value of water to large-scale investments in water resilience across all sectors. For the conference, we wish to show that tools exist and need to be scaled up and encourage countries to include water in all their public policies. With clear long-term planning for all water needs across sectors and value chain, we will attract more investments. We call to come out from the conference with examples of countries that are working on integrating water in all aspects on their national development plans, so that it is not only a side sector, but a core component of national economic strategy. As co-chairs, we are at the disposal of every interested country or organization that wishes to put forward this innovative dynamic and to work with you on bringing in all experts and finance partners that can help us implementing this strategy. Thank you very much for your attention.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for your remarks. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Affairs of Bangladesh. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal for convening this event in collaboration with the Global Water Organization. Water connects us. It sustains people, economies, and ecosystems. It crosses borders and underpins shared prosperity. Yet climate change, rising demand, and pressure on fresh water are making water security increasingly difficult to achieve within national boundaries alone. As we move towards the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, our task is to turn commitments into cooperation that delivers measurable results. This can begin with stronger international water cooperation. Shared rivers and aquifers require equitable and reasonable use, regular dialogue, timely data exchange, and sound science. Above all, they require trust. As climate change makes water flows less predictable, continuity in cooperative arrangements becomes ever more important. Cooperation must also deliver on the ground. Developing and climate-vulnerable countries need accessible finance, appropriate technology, and capacity for resilient water infrastructure and services. For Bangladesh, this is a reality. As a densely populated delta and lower riparian country, we face both floods and water scarcity, from river erosion and water logging to groundwater stress and coastal salinity. We recently announced a five-year program to restore and improve 20,000 kilometers of rivers, canals, and drainage channels. This will also support river restoration, flood management, salinity control, and AI-enabled groundwater monitoring. Bangladesh's five-year strategic framework positions water and environmental resilience as core pillars of national development, while the current government's manifesto underscores the urgency of strengthening water security, restoring rivers and canals, and advancing major infrastructure initiatives such as the Tista and Padma Barrage projects. These priorities are already being translated into action. The government has initiated restoration of at least one river in each division and is using real-time groundwater monitoring and grassroots early warning systems to strengthen resilience. Yet, national action cannot substitute for regional and global cooperation. At the regional level, Bangladesh seeks a fair and sustainable share of water from the transboundary rivers it shares with upstream neighbors and calls for multilateral cooperation to curb the growing desertification and ecological stress caused by severely reduced dry season river flows. Bangladesh calls for sustained dialogue among riparian countries, equitable and reasonable use of shared waters, transparent data sharing, and regional and stronger international partnerships. Our recent accession to the 1992 UN Water Convention reflects this commitment. Against this backdrop, as a delta nation, Bangladesh stands ready to share its experience and work with partners to mobilize knowledge, finance, and technology. Let us turn, share water challenges into shared progress. I thank you.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for your remarks. I now give the floor to the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. You have the floor.

Thank you very much indeed, distinguished co-chairs, ladies and gentlemen. I thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal for co-chairing this timely initiative, as well as the Global Water Organization for making it possible. Today's theme, United for Water, a call for collective action, resonates profoundly with Pakistan. As a nation whose lifeline is the Indus River and its intricate irrigation system, water remains central to our development, stability, and survival. Pakistan, ladies and gentlemen, remains a water-scarce country. We have responded to water scarcity with strong political will and concrete national action. Our national water policy sets quantifiable targets for 2030, including a 33% reduction in conveyance losses, a 30% increase in water use efficiency, and a significant expansion of our storage capacity. We, ladies and gentlemen, are investing billions of dollars in mega projects water preservation and storage and are rehabilitating our irrigation infrastructure, which remains one of the largest in the world. However, national efforts alone are not sufficient, as many delegates pointed out over here. The challenges we face today are transboundary and global in nature. That's why Pakistan became a founding member of the Global Water Organization, signing and ratifying its charter. Pakistan remains fully committed to GWO's mission to unify fragmented efforts and unlock sustainable multilateral financing to overcome water challenges. Excellencies, Pakistan is ready, like many other delegations offered over here, to share its own experience in developing large-scale water infrastructure as a model for translating policy into practice. We must scale up proven solutions, and we must elevate water as a tool for peace and cooperation by upholding the international law as well as relevant bilateral treaties. We call for the swift operationalization of the GWO's financing mechanisms and urge multilateral development banks and international financial institutions to partner with the GWO to unlock the massive investments needed for water security. Pakistan stands ready to engage further on all such collaborative financing models. In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, let us build a legacy of strong and measurable progress. Let us all commit to a future where water is a symbol of shared prosperity and lasting peace. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for those remarks. I now give the floor to Her Excellency, Economic Advisor to the President of the Republic of Zambia.

Excellencies, co-chairs, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to join in thanking the co-chairs, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal, as well as the Global Water Organization founding team and international partners for convening this critical high-level assembly. Ladies and gentlemen, we gather at a pivotal moment when compounding climate shocks, severe droughts, and water stress pose existential risks to global resilience, food systems, public health, and long-term economic stability. As persistent financing gaps and capacity constraints widen the divide between global pledges and local realities, translating political momentum into finance-backed action remains our single most urgent priority to achieve SDG 6. As already been acknowledged by earlier speakers, water security is not a merely sector specific goal. It is a fundamental pillar supporting sustainable development, climate resilience, and lasting peace. In Zambia, coming out of the worst drought in recorded history just over under three years ago, and just about to go into another potential drought in two months time, Zambia has elevated the importance of water more than ever before. Therefore, under the continental umbrella of the African Union's Africa Water Investment Program, Zambia has established the Zambia Water Investment Program, ZIP. The ZIP provides a strategic framework for developing a bankable national pipeline of priority investments, including climate resilient multi-purpose dams, bulk water supply infrastructure, urban and rural sanitation systems, and strategic groundwater development. To maximize the impact of global water initiatives, including emerging platforms like the GWO, Zambia advocates for a pragmatic dual track approach to global action, water action. And firstly, capital and impact mobilization. We must leverage the collective power of the global water organization, multilateral development banks, global climate funds and private sector partners to deploy blended finance mechanism and project preparation facilities. Strategic investment must prioritize advanced hydro technologies, including precision groundwater mapping, real-time climate monitoring networks, and resilient bulk water storage to fast-track national, transboundary, and regional project pipelines. The second point is governance, coherence, and multilateral alignment. Global water initiatives must strengthen and complement rather than duplicate or fragment the existing multilateral water architecture. All core investments and institutional partnerships must remain firmly grounded in UN-led governance frameworks, including SDG 6, the UN Water Action Agenda, the UN Water Convention, while aligning with regional instruments such as the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy, the Africa Water Investment Program, and the SADC Revised Protocol on Shared Water Courses, to mention but a few. Zambia remains deeply committed to advancing South-South cooperation by building actionable, high-impact partnerships. Through joint action across the globe, the Africa continent, the SADC sub-region, and shared river basins like the Zambezi and Congo basins, we aim to strengthen transboundary and international water cooperation and accelerate climate and drought-resilient building. In conclusion, Zambia invites the GWO, multilateral development banks, UN agencies, and international development partners to join us in turning shared commitments into finance-backed, climate-resilient infrastructure for sustainable development and shared prosperity. I thank you all.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for your words. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Ambassador, Director General of Energy, Environment and Transboundary Waters of Turkey. You have the floor.

Thank you very much. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Global Water Organization for taking this very timely initiative. Looking ahead, the 2026 UN Water Conference to be co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the 2028 UN Water Conference in Tajikistan, demonstrate our collective determination to advance our common goals on water. The 2023 UN Water Conference represented an important turning point in global discussions on water. Building on this momentum, the upcoming conferences provide an important opportunity to accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals, particularly SDG 6. It will therefore be essential to ensure that these processes remain inclusive, balanced, and transparent, and that the diversity of views, national circumstances, and regional realities is adequately reflected in both their preparations and outcomes. Countries and regions face different realities and are progressing at different speeds. Meaningful progress can only be achieved through cooperation and through an inclusive, realistic, and transparent process that translates our shared objectives into effective implementation on the ground. Climate change makes this cooperation even more important. In this broader context, Turkey's COP31 presidency represents an important opportunity to advance the global climate resilience agenda. Through COP31, we aim to promote an inclusive, action-oriented, and forward-looking approach, one that places implementation at its core, encourages practical cooperation, supports vulnerable regions, and strengthens climate resilience. Our region is one in which water is not a source of division, but a catalyst for dialogue and cooperation, enabling us to respond more effectively and collectively to the growing challenges posed by climate change. Turkey's commitment to international cooperation on water is demonstrated by its longstanding engagement in global water processes, including its hosting of the fifth World Water Forum in 2009, and most recently the fifth Istanbul International Water Forum in May. We remain open to exploring practical ways to strengthen international cooperation while ensuring that any institutional reforms are evidence-based, broadly supported by member states and fully consistent with existing intergovernmental mandates. International cooperation should support states in effectively exercising their responsibilities rather than creating perceptions of supranational governance. There can be no single uniform model or one-size-fits-all approach to cooperation on transboundary waters. Transboundary basins differ fundamentally in their hydrological characteristics, climatic conditions, and levels of development. Cooperation should therefore be context specific and based on mutual understanding among riparian countries with a view to ensuring the sustainable utilization of water resources. Against this background, international frameworks developed in different periods and regional contexts may not necessarily reflect the specific realities of every basin. Water issues have steadily gained prominence on the global agenda. Our task now is to build on this momentum through stronger cooperation, effective coordination, and practical action, while respecting the diversity of national circumstances and regional realities. Turkey stands ready to contribute constructively to these efforts and to work with all partners towards a more resilient, sustainable, and water-secure future. Thank you.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for your remarks. I now give the floor to His Excellency, Deputy Permanent Representative of Kuwait. Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you, Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. At the outset, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal for jointly convening this important ministerial high-level event in collaboration with the Global Water Organization. The theme of our meeting reflects a fundamental reality. Water security is a shared global responsibility that requires stronger international cooperation and practical collective action. Despite the progress achieved over recent decades, the international community remains off track in achieving sustainable development goal number six. Water scarcity, growing demand, climate change, population growth, and pressures on natural resources are placing an increased burden on countries and communities around the world. These challenges are particularly acute in our region, which is among the most affected by water scarcity and the depletion of natural resources. This reality makes the protection and resilience of critical civilian infrastructure, particularly water and desalination facilities, wasteful water treatment plants, and water supply networks, essential to ensuring the continuity of vital services and safeguarding communities, especially in times of crisis. For the state of Kuwait, water security has always been a strategic national priority. Kuwait has invested extensively in desalination infrastructure, water networks, wasteful water treatment, wastewater treatment, and reuse and measure aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of water resource management. Our commitment also extends beyond our national borders. Through the Kuwait Fund for Arab Development, Economic Development, the state of Kuwait has supported water supply, sanitation, irrigation, and related infrastructure projects in developing countries for decades, reflecting our longstanding commitment to international development and solidarity. It is in this same spirit that the state of Kuwait is proud to be a founding member of the Global Water Organization and a signatory to its founding charter. We believe the organization can make an important contribution to the global water agenda by bringing countries and partners together, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise, supporting innovation and technology, and help translate international commitments into practical solutions. As we continue forward to the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, our priority must be to transform political momentum into tangible progress, mobilizing, financing, strengthening capacity, advancing innovation and technology, and supporting countries most affected by water scarcity. In conclusion, the State of Kuwait reaffirms its commitment to working with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Senegal, the Global Water Organization, and all international partners to advance the global water agenda and pursue practical pathways for collective action. Because the challenge is shared, our response must also be shared. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for those remarks. We have concluded the list of speakers for this session. I want to thank the excellencies and the distinguished ministers and representatives of member states for their thoughtful remarks that are true testament of the importance of the issues of water. Now we will move to the multilateral partners segment, which will provide an opportunity to hear the perspectives of international and multilateral organizations. And I have the honor to give the floor to Her Excellency, Secretary General of the Digital Cooperation Organization. Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. Your Excellencies, co-chairs, as well as His Excellency, the Secretary General of GWO, distinguished colleagues, and ladies and gentlemen. I've been smiling throughout the discussion today as I heard 13 times the mention of technology, digital, and innovation, so which really affirms that water security is very much aligned with digital infrastructure. So when we think about water security, we naturally think about physical infrastructure. treatment facilities, pipelines, and also pumping stations. But increasingly, behind that physical infrastructure lies another layer that is just as essential, digital infrastructure. Water utilities today depend on digital systems to monitor quality, control treatment, manage distribution, and maintain continuity of service. Yet, this dependency also creates new vulnerabilities. In one assessment that we have looked into, one more than 1,000 drinking water systems serving 193 million people on a global level. 97 systems serving almost 30 million people were founded to have critical, high-risk cybersecurity vulnerabilities. When those systems are disrupted, the consequences do not remain digital. They reach hospitals, schools, farms, businesses, and homes. This is why the Digital Cooperation Organization has become advocating for greater international recognition and protection of civilian digital infrastructure and ecosystems. As we work collectively to strengthen water security, digital resilience must therefore be part of that conversation. identifying critical dependencies, building redundancy, strengthening continuity planning, and ensuring countries have the capabilities to prepare for and recognize any disruption. Because in an increasingly digital world, protecting water security also means protecting the digital infrastructure that keeps water flowing to our nations. We truly value and appreciate our partnership with the Global Water Organization as we move resolutions and declarations from written words on paper into action and impact on ground. Thank you very much.

I thank your excellency. I now give the floor to her excellency, executive director and secretary general of the International Desalination and Reuse Association. Your Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you. Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates. On behalf of the International Desalination and Reuse Association, we welcome this very important initiative by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and the Global Water Organization. Water security is fundamental to sustainable development, economic prosperity and peace. It is imperative for the water, energy, food nexus, and we know that. Since 1973, our community, as a partner of UN-Water, holding ECOSOC and UNFCCC status, have worked to advance water purification through reuse and desalination technologies. This is not just technical innovation. It is also policy, project models, and financing. Our global community represents regulators, utilities, project developers, technology and solution providers, of course, from the digital industry, very, very important, and sovereign funds, development agencies, UN agencies, and researchers, connecting the expertise, investment, and partnerships needed to advance water security by scaling technical solutions for municipal, industrial, and agricultural growing water needs. We welcome GWO's role in advancing international cooperation and collective action on water security. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the world's largest living laboratory for water security through technical and regulatory innovation. There is significant opportunity to connect the GWO mandate with the technical expertise, investment capacity, and implementation experience of the global water community that we represent. So we look forward to working with GWO and your partners and to translate these shared commitments into scalable solutions and measurable impact with public and private sector participation, specifically the private sector that provides water solutions and the end users who have a huge water footprint in industry. And those end users must take and manage their water footprint. They must become responsible for the aquifers for which they're withdrawing the water and the basins for which they operate. For today's discussion, I would like to highlight four priorities for collective action. And the first is the great need to translate political will into action. Water is ultimately a local challenge, but progress requires coordinated leadership at local, regional, and national levels. Strong institutions and effective regulation are essential to turn these commitments into results. Second, advanced, diverse, and resilient solutions. Both large-scale infrastructure and decentralized systems have a role to play. Today, in our world, only 8% of the water is reused and recycled. What if we move that to 80%? What would our water portfolio look like across the globe? We must scale these solutions. Both desalination and water reuse can strengthen supply. They're often considered non-conventional, but they are more and more conventional water supply systems for many, many local and national communities. So, this is very important to also look at creating, you know, the role of a circular water operation, closed loop systems that can reduce freshwater demand, that we preserve our freshwater for generations to come. Third is to close the water financing gap. The World Bank reports that roughly 98% of the water sector spending for developing countries comes from public sources. and less than 2% is coming from the private sector. So closing this gap requires stronger private sector investment, blended finance, of course, risk sharing mechanisms and predictive regulatory frameworks. The regulators have a strong role to play in how we change the water situation across the globe and mobilize private capital, ensuring affordability and of course, equitable access. The last point is to strengthen partnerships for delivery. We bring what we do is we bring together, we convene governments, development, finance institutions and technical, the technical industry with community communities to finance the life cycle of water services from planning infrastructure to operations, maintenance and workforce development, which is very key to to creating this change. So IDRA as a partner stands ready to mobilize long-standing expertise and diverse, with a very diverse global network, to turn these priorities into practical action. And as we are on the road to Abu Dhabi UN Water Conference, we also warmly invite you to the IDRA World Congress, which will be held in Riyadh, November 1st to the 5th, under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, hosted by the Saudi Water Authority, which is the regulator in the kingdom, and where we will gather together this collective community to discuss solutions and scaling solutions across the globe. It's a united need to connect political commitment and practical solutions and stronger partnerships to achieve lasting water security for all. and most importantly to open the dialogue with the private sector is needed. Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for your remarks. In conclusion, and on behalf of the co-chairs, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Senegal and the Global Water Organization, I would like to thank all of our distinguished speakers for their contributions today. The commitment shown in this room reflects the seriousness with which we all approach the of water and the shared determination that brought us together for this event so I thank you all for attending and have a great rest of your day