(1st meeting) High-Level Political Forum 2026

Good morning. Could you please take a seat? We'll start soon. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, good morning. I declare open the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Convent under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council at its 2026 sessions, and I call to order its first meeting. Before proceeding further, I invite participants to watch a short video on the High-Level Political Forum. Please play the video.

Our world is battling multiple crises impacting the lives of people around the globe. With only 4 years remaining until our 2030 deadline, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals remains uneven. Many challenges persist. Still, collective efforts bring results. Electricity is now accessible to 92% of the global population. Renewable capacity is rapidly growing, more than doubling since 2015.

Internet is now reaching three-quarters of the world's population.

When we work together, we can make things happen. We must act urgently and we must act together to shift the momentum. The High-Level Political Forum is where we can make this happen, where we can accelerate action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, our blueprint for a better world. This year, the Forum puts a spotlight on clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Partnerships for the Goals. 36 countries will show us their actions and solutions. Let us re-energize the global conversation, spotlight hope, and inspire action. Follow the conversation. Let's deliver better. Let's deliver together. For a Sustainable Future for All.

I thank the Department of Economic and Social Affairs for producing this video. I now invite the Forum to turn to its provisional agenda as contained in the document E/HLPF/2011.

2026/1.

May I take it that the Forum wishes to adopt the provisional agenda as contained in the document E/HLPF/2026/1? I hear no objections. It is so decided. I will now deliver my opening remarks. Honorable ministers, excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to welcome you to all the— to the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. When member states endorsed the 2030 Agenda, they acknowledged a simple but profound reality: peace, prosperity, and sustainability cannot be pursued separately. A decade later, this understanding has become even more pressing, more compelling, and more consequential. The world we face today is more complex, more uncertain, and interconnected than ever before. Conflicts continue to devastate lives, Climate change is intensifying. Fiscal pressures and debt burdens are constraining development. At the same time, rapid advances in science, technology, and artificial intelligence are transforming our economies and our societies at extraordinary speed, creating unprecedented opportunities, but also new divides. The burdens of these overlapping crises are not shared equally. The recent ECOSOC Special Meeting on Safeguarding Energy and Supply Flows reminded us that countries in special situations, including Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, Islands, and small island developing states, continue to face disproportionate challenges with mounting fiscal pressures and disruptions to energy, trade, and supply chains threatening hard-won development gains. Yet this is not a story of only setbacks. Around the world, Countries are expanding social protection. They are improving access to water, sanitation, and clean energy. And they are strengthening resilience and harnessing innovations to improve lives. Now, with less than 5 years remaining until 2030, the challenge before us is not simply to move faster. It is to work differently. It is to work collectively and it is to work with resolve. Implementation can no longer be approached one goal, one sector, or one institution at a time. It requires policies that are integrated. It requires partnerships that are stronger and it requires international cooperation that is more effective. That is why the theme of the 2026 HLPF and the Economic and Social Council, Transformative, Equitable, Innovative and Coordinated Actions for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals for a Sustainable Future for All, is both timely and necessary. Excellencies, throughout this year's ECOSOC cycle, Member States, the United Nations systems, and stakeholders have come together across a series of forums and segments to explore practical pathways for accelerating implementation. Across different segments and forums under the ECOSOC this year, From the Youth Forum and the Partnership Forum to the Forum on Financing for Development Follow-up, the Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs, the Coordination Segment and the Operational Activities for Development Segment, our discussions have addressed different dimensions of sustainable development. Taken together, However, they pointed to one common conclusion: our challenges are increasingly interdependent. Our responses must become equally coordinated. Whether discussing financing, whether we discuss about innovation, development cooperation, partnership, or support to countries, the Council reached the same conclusions, that is, implementation succeeds when policies are integrated, when partnerships are coherent, and when institutions work together. The goals under review this year remind us precisely why. Water security is not only about water. It underpins health, food systems, energy production, climate resilience, and sustainable urban development. Access to water and sanitation is fundamental to dignity, equality, and opportunity, particularly for women and girls. When water systems fail, vulnerabilities multiply. When they succeed, progress accelerates across the 2030 Agenda. It, to our utmost consternation, billions remain without safe water and without basic sanitation. This is a profound injustice that continues to erode human development and resilience. Addressing this gap is not optional. It is moral and development imperative. The same is true for energy. Affordable and clean energy powers opportunities. Productivity and sustainable growth. Energy is no longer simply an infrastructure issue. It is a development issue. It supports hospitals and schools. It enables innovations. It strengthens resilience and expands economic opportunities. Accelerating the transition to affordable and accessible clean energy is therefore not only an energy objective. It is essential to achieving progress across the 2030 Agenda. Ensuring universal access to clean energy is indispensable to dignity, development, and climate justice. Nevertheless, millions remain without electricity, without clean cooking options, and without modern energy services. This is a reality that continues to constrain human potential and widen disparities. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, infrastructure, industrialization, and innovation tell a similar story. Sustainable industrialization remains essential for creating decent jobs, increasing productivity, and supporting economic diversity. Today, resilience depends not only on roads, ports, and power grids. It also depends on digital public infrastructure, connectivity, research, technology transfer, and innovation ecosystems capable of translating knowledge into sustainable and inclusive growth. A science, technology, data, and artificial intelligence Reshape our societies, ensuring that their benefits are shared equitably has become both a development imperative and test of international cooperation. Innovation must become a bridge, not another divide. Cities and human settlements bring all these dynamics together. They are where infrastructures energy, water, innovations, inclusions, and resilience converge. They are where sustainable development is ultimately experienced by people. It is through integrated planning and investment that cities and communities can simultaneously improve housing, mobility, access to services, climate resilience, and economic opportunities. Excellencies, taken together, the goals under review this year remind us that sustainable development cannot be advanced in one sector at a time. They also remind us why Goal 17 remains indispensable. Whether the challenge is water security, energy access or affordability, sustainable industrialization, or resilient cities. Progress depends on mobilizing finance, strengthening national capacities, harnessing science, technology, and innovations, promoting knowledge sharing, and reinforcing international cooperation. This understanding was reinforced throughout this year's work of the Economic and Social Council. The Financing for Development discussions reaffirmed that closing financing gaps remains indispensable. STI Forum reminded us that technology alone will not close development gaps. Innovation must be accompanied by investment. It should be accompanied by capacity building and it should be accompanied by international cooperation if it is to benefit all. Across every forum, one message became clear: solutions become more effective when they are shaped through partnerships, implemented at a country level, and strengthened through cooperation across institutions, across sectors, and communities. Excellencies, the High-Level Political Forum is the the United Nations Central Platform for Follow-up and Review of the 2030 Agenda. It is where Member States come together to assess progress, learn from one another, and strengthen collective actions in the final years leading to 2030. Over the coming days, we will review progress on SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17. And here from 36 countries presenting voluntary national reviews. It is where national experience informs global actions and where global commitments are translated into national implementations. There are opportunities to exchange practical solutions, strengthen partnerships, and build confidence that progress remains possible. They will also help shape our preparations for the 2027 SDG Summit and final stage towards 2030. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the world does not need another catalog of challenges. We know the challenges. What we need is greater coherence, stronger partnerships, more effective international cooperation, faster implementation, and most of all, better delivery and the impact on the ground. The 2030 Agenda remains our shared promise to people, to planet, and for future generations. The years ahead will not ask whether the challenges were difficult, they will ask whether we were equal to them. Let this forum show that when we connect ideas with actions, when we connect finance with innovations, and when we connect national leadership with international solidarity, progress is still possible. The destinations before us Hides not sense. The question is whether we will have the courage to reach it by delivering better together. I thank you. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, The Forum will now begin considerations of Item 2 of its agenda, entitled Transformative, Equitable, Innovative and Coordinated Action for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a Sustainable Future for All. With this, I now invite Mr. Lee Chin Hwa, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs to present the report of the Secretary-General on the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. It is contained in Document E/2026/73.

President of ECOSOC, Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues, it is my honour to present the Secretary-General's 2026 Progress Report on Sustainable Development Goals. I would also conclude with a brief update on the linkages between the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the 2030 Agenda, building on updates to previous HLPFs. The Secretary-General's Progress Report is both a testament to what is possible and an urgent call to do far more. With less than 5 years to achieve the SDGs, the report offers a clear-eyed measure of our collective progress, the monumental and urgent work ahead. The gains are real. Of the 139 SDG targets with available trend data, 36% are on track or making moderate progress. Behind that number are lives transformed. Since 2015, hundreds of millions have gained access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Social protection now covers over half of the global population. Disaster-related deaths have dropped by 65% compared to the previous decade. Electricity now reaches to 92% of the global population., with one-third powered by renewable sources. Internet access has surged from 40% to 74%, connecting billions to new opportunities. Child mortality reduction targets have been met by 134 countries. New HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have each fallen by roughly one-third. Our capacity to observe and document progress has itself been transformed. In 2016, data existed for roughly half of the old SDG indicators. Today, we have over 3.2 billion data points, a tenfold growth covering nearly every indicator. But the stacked gaps remain. Of those targets with trend data, about 1 in 7 targets have fallen below its 2015 baseline. Nearly half have made only marginal progress, moving far too slowly to achieve the targets by 2030. 1 in 10 people still lives in extreme poverty. Food insecurity affects 2.3 billion people. Maternal mortality remains nearly 3 times the global target. Over 150 million children are stunted. And discrimination curbs the potential of 1 in 5 people worldwide. These foreshocks are compounded by the convergence of crises. In 2025, global temperatures reached 1.43 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial levels. Violent conflicts at its highest level in decades have forcibly displaced 118 million people. Official development assistance collapsed by a record 23% last year,— eroding the financial foundations for improving lives in the world's poorest countries. Amidst these crises, we must also navigate profound demographic shifts. Across the world, changes in population size, age structure and spatial distributions are fundamentally rewriting the social and economic contract. With broad implications for sustainable development. Aging population, large youth cohort, rapid urbanization, and migration are reshaping our workforces, strengthening social protection systems, and testing the very fabric of the communities. To turn this demographic shift into dividends, our policy responses must empower the people to make informed choices. This requires sustained lifelong investment in human capital, from youth education to healthy ageing, backed by stronger governance, cohesive societies and the strategic use of demographic data and foresight. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the way forward is clear. We must scale up our proven successes and address the root causes of our setbacks. This demands decisive action for peace and stability, stronger institutions and structural transformation. We must restore the physical space through meaningful debt relief and mobilize development finance at scale, strengthening food, energy and water systems, expanding essential services, addressing inequalities and empowering women and youth. Modern technologies and stronger statistical systems have given us the evidence base we need to take effective action. Let us use this data with reinvigorated sense of urgency to finally deliver on the promise of the 2030 Agenda for a more equitable, peaceful and sustainable future. Excellencies, I will now speak on behalf of the United Nations Network on Migration. Just weeks after the Second International Migration Review Forum, Member States reaffirmed their commitment to international cooperation, adopting a forward-looking Progress Declaration that further strengthened the link between the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration and the 2030 Agenda. The message is clear: the focus must shift from commitments to implementation, supported by the strong level of engagement and a growing number of reviewed pledges. Migration is integral to sustainable development. It is how we build inclusive societies, resilient communities, and stronger labor markets, advance gender equality, and promote more effective international cooperation. Our task now is to translate this into tangible impact in our policies, our institutions, and most importantly, in people's lives. The Network stands ready to work with member states and United Nations system and all partners to make this a reality. The longer version of this network statement will be posted online. Thank you very much for your attention.

I thank the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs for his presentations. Excellencies, that concludes the opening segment We will take a short break for the podium to be rearranged before proceeding with the interactive panel.

It's good to see you now.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates. The Forum now will begin considerations of sub-item A of agenda item 2, entitled Review of the Sustainable Development Goals 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17, in order to hold an interactive panel on SDG 6 and interlinkages with other SDGs, water and sanitation. Before we begin our discussion, I invite you to watch a short video highlighting key findings from the recently released 2026 SDG Progress Report related to SDG Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation. This brief overview will help set the scene and provide useful context for our deliberations today. Please play the video now.

While global access to essential services steadily improved, billions of people still lacked safely managed drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. Between 2015 and 2024, 961 million people gained access to safely managed drinking water, 1.2 billion to safely managed sanitation, and 1.6 billion to basic hygiene services. By 2024, 74% of the world's population had access to safely managed drinking water, 58% had access to safely managed sanitation, and 80% had basic hygiene services. Yet people in the least developed countries were 2 to 3 times more likely to lack these services. Global water use efficiency improved 24% from 2015 to 2023. In Northern Africa and Western Asia, and Southern and Central Asia, water stress exceeds 75% and around 10% of the global population live in countries with high or critical stress levels. Reporting on water quality grew from 72 countries in 2017 to 124 in 2023, yet data gaps persist in poorer regions. Although most countries sharing transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers have now reported data on transboundary water cooperation, In 2023, only 43 countries had operational arrangements covering 90% or more of the transboundary basin area in their territory. Making safe and sustainable water and sanitation a reality for everyone will require stronger institutions, dedicated investment, improved monitoring, and greater community participation, particularly as climate change impacts intensify. Find more insights in the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026.

Thank you. I now pleased to welcome our guest speaker as well as our moderator, Ms. John Bagel. Director-General of the International Development Law Organization. I now hand the floor over to the moderator and invite her to begin the discussions.

Thank you very much, Mr. President and distinguished delegates. I am very pleased to moderate this session on SDG 6, a goal that is fundamental to people everywhere. The story of SDG 6 is one of progress, but not nearly enough. Since 2015, we have seen that almost a billion people have gained access to safe drinking water, while over 1 billion have gained access to safe sanitation. And these achievements have transformed the lives of hundreds of millions of people. Yet progress remains too slow and too uneven, and the world is still not on track to achieve SDG 6 by 2030. This session will show the interlinkages between SDG 6 and the other goals. As Director-General of IDLO, the only global intergovernmental organization exclusively dedicated to advancing peace and sustainable development through the rule of law, I see every day how progress on one goal can accelerate progress across many others. I have four brief introductory thoughts drawing on IDLO's experience. First, access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right, but rights must be backed by enforceable laws, effective institutions, and meaningful accountability. Second, SDG 6 has a profound gender dimension. For example, women and girls continue to bear the greatest burden of collecting water, often at the expense of education, economic opportunity, and personal safety. Ensuring safe and accessible water and sanitation services is essential to achieving gender equality. Third, strong laws, an enabling environment, and inclusive governance are indispensable. They enable countries to manage water resources sustainably, protect ecosystems, resolve disputes, and reduce conflict, and ensure that all communities, including women, youth, indigenous peoples, and other marginalized groups, can participate in decisions that affect them. Finally, institutions matter as much as infrastructure. Effective institutions are essential to deliver sustainable results. The rule of law helps transform water from a source of vulnerability into the foundation of productive economies. And ultimately, SDG 6 is about people. Successful implementation requires people-centered approaches that put communities at the heart of decision-making and shaping the solutions that affect them. As we look ahead to the 2026 Water Conference, let us use this review as an opportunity to strengthen partnerships, mobilize investment, scale solutions that have worked, and accelerate implementation. We have an outstanding panel of speakers who will help us explore these issues and identify practical pathways to accelerate progress. I would like to introduce our distinguished panelists and discussants. On my left, Her Excellency Ms. Rekna Masoodi, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Water. All right. Mr. Saroj Kumar Jha, the Global Director of the World Bank Group's Water Department, and Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health. We are also joined by two discussants: Ms. Margaret Minor, Executive Officer and founding member of the Women in Water and Sanitation Association, and Mr. Lai-Feng Lee, Director of the Land and Water Division at the Food and Agriculture Organization. So I will begin by inviting our panelists to reflect, all of them, on the following question. And the question is: drawing from your experience and expertise, what do you see as a key challenge to achieving SDG 6 And are there any emerging solutions that could make a significant impact looking to 2030 and beyond? And I would request our panelists to limit their interventions to 3 minutes. I'm calling first on Ms. Massoudi. You have the floor, ma'am.

Well, thank you very much, Madam Moderator. Good morning to all of you. And I would like to start with a good— or good news. I mean, as we all see the presentation of the video, we have to acknowledge that since 2015, we have made significant progress in the water and sanitation agenda the last decade. The SDG 6 synthesis report confirmed this. I don't want to repeat what the progress has been made so far. The question here is why I start my presentation, my intervention, by mentioning the progress. I just want to show that the solution exists. But the next question is why water remains as one of the major challenges that the world is now facing. The average level of water stress has remained almost unchanged. At approximately 18%? The answer, in my views, is very simple. The challenge is not that we don't know what to do. The challenge is the speed and consistency of implementation. I want to repeat it again: the speed and consistency of implementation. We are simply not moving fast enough to keep up the growing needs. As we approach 2030, we need almost an 8-fold acceleration to achieve universal access to safe drinking water and almost a 6-fold acceleration to— for sanitation. So next question again: What is holding us back? And I see here two main challenges. Number 1, turning commitments into action. Number 2, strengthening the capacity to deliver those action. First, we need the highest political commitment to turn agenda into action and into result. Second, on inadequate capacity to implement accelerate action, many countries are ready to move faster, But we know that we still face challenges in finance, technology, data, institutional capacity, and others. This is why international cooperation remains more important than ever. Countries need stronger support for financing, capacity building, technology transfer, and others. Next question. Where do I see reason for optimism? I see 3 game changers. First is the political momentum. Colleagues, after almost 50 years, the international community came together again in 2023 Water UN Conference. That was an important signal that water has returned to the center of the global development agenda. The decision to convene UN Water Conference in 2026-2028 shows that this momentum is growing, and we must maintain this momentum and turn it into concrete action. The second game changer is partnership. Today, we see more governments working together We see more civil society organizations stepping forward, and we see more private sector ready to contribute. So this growing willingness to work together gives us a new opportunity to accelerate progress. And my last is the third game changer is about technology and innovation. Today, technology offers solutions, of course, But one point is very important: technology must be accessible and affordable for all countries. Innovation should reduce gaps, not widen them. So that is my points, Madam Moderator, so back to you and thank you very much.

Thank you very much. I now turn to Mr. Saurabh Kumar Jha. You have the floor, sir.

Thank you very much, Madam Moderator, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, a very warm good morning to everyone. Very happy to be here on behalf of the World Bank Group. I agree with pretty much everything that Her Excellency Masoodi has said about the challenges and the solutions, but let me make a few points just to support what she said earlier. On the emerging challenges, if I have to list one single most important challenge that is impacting the progress on SDG 6, it is underinvestment. We can come to this point from many angles. You can say poor governance, lack of efficiency, losses in the system. Bottom line is underinvestments. Underinvestment both in maintaining what you've created, new infrastructure— most governments don't have budget for O&M, and then of course you have very little in your budget for new infrastructure. I'll give you some data points. On an average, in the public expenditure review we did last year, and this is an open data set, you can go and check how governments are spending on water, only 0.5% of annual budget is spent on water. When I say water means water supply, sanitation, irrigation, flood and drought management, the broad water-related investments. Now, 0.5% is nothing compared to what the governments are spending in other sectors— transport, energy, etc. So clearly, I would beg to disagree with those who say water has already come to the centre stage. Water is not yet centre stage in the public financing and the annual budgeting process. This got to change, and my request to everyone in the audience from the government who have an influence is start looking at the budgeting process.— and I'll talk about the emerging practices as well, but I wanted to make that point very clear. But if you unpack the underinvestment, there's one more pattern you'll find. Not only governments are underinvesting, the governments also have not succeeded in creating enabling environment for private sector participation. If you see the total spending in the water sector, only 2% of that is coming from private sector. 98% of that money is coming from annual budget of the government and of the 98%, 6% is coming from the ODA, including MDB assistance. So clearly, the maths doesn't support the rhetoric that water is very important. Not yet. The numbers do not support that assert statements that water has become a very important topic for the governments around the world. The other data point also related to this is that the projections that we have for the countries— I fully recognize the progress that was presented in the progress report on SDGs today, but look at the other side of it. In a business-as-usual scenario, most sub-Saharan African countries will reach their SDGs on safely managed drinking water after 2050, and most sub-Saharan African countries will meet their SDGs on safely managed sanitation in the 22nd century, not in 21st century. So clearly, there is a lot here in terms of the challenge that we really need to engage in the policy space, partnership, and of course making sure that the money is spent properly. But let me now turn on the— the solution side, because I was also asked the question on emerging challenges. I do see countries around the world, particularly developing countries that I can talk to, who are really making water a very important priority. And I will mention a few countries. I know I will not mention all the countries, and I want to be questioned for that, but I do want to mention a few so that you really know that the countries are making good progress. Angola, Angola, in Africa, came to the market last week with a PPP for wastewater treatment. Angola is a country which has deployed sovereign guarantee for mobilizing commercial financing at scale. So they are moving away from purely a public financing towards leveraging public financing for more private and commercial financing. Senegal has come forward with a 15-year water security program which relies on not just public financing, but relies heavily on private sector participation and use of guarantees to crowd in more private sector and cross-border investments. We can talk about India, a country which has demonstrated strong political commitment through the Sauch Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission to reach billions of people with water supply and sanitation. You can talk about Indonesia, which has really completely revolutionized the irrigation sector performance through water users association and how you improve efficiency, better performance in the way you do investments. Saudi Arabia— complete transformation in the way new investments are mobilized through public-private partnership in desalination and particularly moving more towards more efficient, energy-efficient and cost-effective desalination. Brazil— Sabesp in Brazil, a great example of how a utility can really come to New York Stock Exchange. Perhaps the only utility which is listed in the New York Stock Exchange which reaches to 30 billion— 30 million people, the largest utility in the world. So the transformation is possible. Public financing should not really be the constraint, but the question is do we have the right political leadership, do we have the right enabling environment to really move quickly into getting the investment that you need on scale. I'll stop here. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you so much. I'm now giving the floor to Professor Madani. I'm grateful if you can limit to 3 minutes so that we can have a time for the interactive dialogue. Thank you, sir.

Thank you. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thanks.

Thank you, President. In January this year, the United Nations University published a report warning about the state of water bankruptcy, declaring that the world has entered the era of global water bankruptcy. This doesn't mean that every state, every aquifer, every river basin is bankrupt, but it means that we are seeing more and more systems falling into this situation and not being able to escape from it, where problems become chronic and the old normal is gone and they're facing a new issue. Why is that important? Because the global risk landscape is being impacted. And we learned this the hard way. The interruption in one part of the world, the closure of Strait of Hormuz, can impact many other things. The same applies to water resources. So the report had a warning and calling on the urgency of, you know, paying more attention to water, but also a message of hope that something can be done. Science is there to support it. Speaking of urgency, the world's checking accounts are shrinking. The surface water that we have as a result of climate change this year, a super El Niño that we expect. So the checking account is draining, but also the world savings account, including groundwater and more importantly, maybe glaciers that we are not paying a lot of attention to are also melting. So in a way, the machinery that produces water is being impacted. And that's something that we are not paying enough attention to. While the problem of, of WASH is extremely important and we have to continue fight for it and we know that we are off track on SDGs, it is also important to understand that if we don't protect that machinery that produces water, then we are in a big trouble. And the problem of water is the problem of diversity. The diversity that we have from one nation moving to another, the nature of the problem, the manifestation of water problem can become very different, and that makes it hard for the member states to agree on one path forward. So we have to essentially respect that diversity and understand what is going on. Science is there giving us hope because we have an unprecedented capacity to compute, measure, understand, and monitor. If you want to protect the rights of farmers, if you want to do something about the infrastructure that is now being impacted by the glaciers melt, by the treaties that are based on the conditions that no longer exist, then the science can be helpful there. And speaking of hope, the report makes it very clear that of course we are not where we should be, but in the world that is very fragmented, in the world that we can disagree on many things, water is one of the few topics that we can all agree to its importance. The science is clear. It makes it clear that water can be a common denominator for the nations of the Global South and North. It can be a common denominator and a unifier for the political parties within countries, left and right, north and south. Water is something very important. Stars are aligned for the world. We have the milestones in 2026 and 2028 and 2030. We have an El Niño that would bring the issue of water, glaciers, and other things into further attention this year. So we can take an action on making a change and in elevating the importance of water in the global policy agenda because anything that the United Nations stand for is related to water. So water, as the science tells us, is the medium of delivery when it comes to national security and priorities, when it comes to fulfilling justice and human rights and equity. It's the mean of delivery when it comes to climate change mitigation, biodiversity loss mitigation, and mitigation of desertification and land degradation. It is there with a lot of potential, and it creates immediate impact on the quality of livelihood, on health, and the issue of food security. So let's recognize that importance and urgency and act together on using science for the good of humanity.

Thank you very much, Professor Madani. Okay, we're going to have a second round. I'm sorry, it's again going to be 3 minutes, but I'm going to put the first question. To Ms. Masoodi, you have emphasized the importance of partnerships and partnerships across governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector. And so as we look ahead to the 2026 and 2028 water conferences, how do you see all partners working together to speed up progress on SDG 6 and strengthen links with the wider 2030 Agenda?

Well, thank you very much. So So I would like to take two keywords from your question. Number one is about working together. That's always very important. The second one, the question asks about the complementarity. So let me start the first point of complementarity that is between the UN Water Conference. 2023 UN Water Conference 2026, 2028 all hold distinguished advantage point. 2023 brought water back to the center of multilateral agenda. 2026 Water Conference is expected to be a conference of action. Then 2028, it is a strategic has a strategic point because we are approaching end of 2030. So the role is to follow up progress of 2023, 2026, and then learning from the implementation and preparing for the future of water, including beyond 2030. So in this sense, the three conferences are not independent one to another. They are codependent one to another and are considered unison. So the second is on complementarity among actors. Of course, colleagues, countries have the lead role in laying plans, priorities, as well as identify where more support is needed. The UN agency, together with other partners, private sector, academia, financial institutions, civil society, and many other organizations must focus on coherently supporting countries in accelerating water action. They should not only be invited to observe, they should be engaged as partners in shaping and delivering solutions. And my last point is on Women. Women is very important. Women are among the people who are disproportionately affected by water challenges. More importantly, when water are— women are involved in the designing, management, the governance of water sector, its effectiveness and sustainability increase by up 6 to 7 times. So involving and investing in women, in women's sector, in water sector, I'm sorry, in water sector is investing in effective, impactful, and lasting water action. Less than 3 minutes. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Wonderful. I'm turning now to Mrs. Sirosh. You said that the major challenge was underinvestment, and earlier this year, the World Bank launched the Water Forward initiative with the ambitious goal of helping 1 billion people achieve water security by 2030. And this initiative recognizes, obviously, the need to mobilize more finance, but also to strengthen policies, institutions, and governance. So I'm wondering, how can we bring these efforts together to unlock the investment and action needed to achieve SDG 6?

Thank you very much, Madam Moderator. I'll try to be within 3 minutes. First of all, I think the Water Forward launch at the IMF World Bank Group Spring Meetings this year is a historic event because for the first time all the multilateral development banks and a number of international financial institutions have come together to make water a priority. Water Forward launch is not just a statement, it is a statement with a very clear set of targets. So each of the multilateral development banks which is part of the Water Forward Coalition has committed a numerical target which is number of people to benefit from water security programmes by 2030. So for the World Bank Group, we have committed to reach 400 million people by 2030. In a business-as-usual scenario, we would have reached, let's say, less than 200 people, so it is more than double in terms of what we would have done otherwise. We have commitments from 9 other multilateral development banks and a number of IFIs, and that already goes to more than a billion people to reach by 2030. In the dollar figures, if you look at back-of-the-envelope calculation, this should translate into more than 3 times the normal investment these MDBs and IFIs would have done. So clearly, on the money side, on the capital side, there is going to be a lot more capital available in this sector, but as we all know, more money will not solve the problem. I think what we really need to begin with is what we call a country-owned, country-led national water compacts. These compacts are essentially our government's own political documents, government's own vision for the water security and access, government's own ambition in terms of how many people and how fast you want to accelerate progress on SDGs. And based on those water compact-related commitments, then you bring MDBs and IFIs and other partners on board, and this is where we will come in with that commitment Underwater Forward. So clearly, the Water Compact by the countries is a starting point, which is essentially it has to be owned and led by the government. No matter how much international community talks about water, unless governments make water a political priority, we have not seen progress in any country, to be honest. So clearly, that is my first message to you, and the good news is that when the Water Forward was launched in Washington, D.C. on April 15th, we had 15 countries announcing their water compacts, the ministers of finance together with the ministers of economy and water, and in many cases prime ministers. And we are seeing currently 47 other countries preparing their water compacts, which will be launched at the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi. So there's a lot of momentum, there's a lot of excitement. These are not World Bank Group documents, these are government documents prepared by the government systems. That's my first point. The second point is scalable solutions. In fact, the SDG Progress Report itself talks about scaling what is already working. Every single country in this room, I can tell you, there are some good practices, and we, the MDBs and the IFIs, want to be part of that scaling-up effort through a multi-year, multi-phase, programmatic support to help you scale up what you're doing really well, but also draw lessons and experiences from other countries who are doing something similar and better. I talked about Sabesp in Brazil. Unless you have smart water utilities which are run professionally, which are operationally and financially sustainable, you're not going to get investments. Sabesp is able to mobilize billions of private investment to give 3,600 connections every day.— there's no other utility performing that scale. So scalable solutions we are developing for all the water-related investments. I don't have time to go into details, but we will be sharing a lot with you at the country level through the country water platforms which are engaged in producing these water compacts. Number 3, which is the most important part, is the financing— the financial engineering.. So this is where I think MDBs and IFIs have a very unique comparative advantage. We work on public sector financing, but we also work with markets. I talked to you about Angola. Angola PPPs coming out of the market one after another. Brazil coming out of the market. Brazil, Sabesp worked with IFC and the World Bank and IDB for 20 years before they reached this stage. This will not happen overnight. So essentially, Creating utilities and water institutions which are operationally and financially sustainable and how do they start accessing private and commercial financing, we do have the tools. What is important is that we use public financing in a much more catalytic manner and use that to leverage more private and commercial financing. It is happening in Angola, it is happening in Senegal, it is happening in Azerbaijan, it is happening in Saudi Arabia, it is happening in India.. It is happening in Bangladesh, it is happening in Indonesia, it is happening in Vietnam where I was there last week. So essentially the point being that there are good practices happening in many countries in the world. Many you are doing on your own, many you are doing with the support of the MDBs and IFIs, but we want to help you scale up in a way that we access more commercial and humanitarian financing. And my last point is accountability. The commitment of the MDBs and IFIs who are part of Water Forward Coalition. The progress we make on these targets we have announced will be reported regularly in a very transparent manner. And the first progress report of Water Forward will be at the UN Water Conference, where we will share how much progress each MDB and IFI has made on the targets they have announced. For us, it is 400 million people, and we would like to be able to say by the end of this calendar year where exactly we are on this. Internally, in my own system in World Bank Group, this is reviewed by the World Bank President himself. So this is not a target for the sake of it. This is a target to essentially make sure that the World Bank Group leans forward, in water forward, works with every single developing country where the World Bank Group is present, works as an MDB system, not each multilateral bank going on its own, but we work as a system to support the government's own water compact implementation, and I really hope that those of you who are in this room can carry this message to your governments, that the MDB system is ready to engage with you, to support you. It's not about lending more money, it is about knowledge, it is about expertise, it is about access to market. Who says there is no money in the world? There's a lot of liquidity in the world, trillion dollars of liquid asset available. The question is there are no bankable projects and the logic to bankability is policies, regulations, smart governance, smart tariff and so on and so forth. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. And now the final question is to Professor Matani and it's, 'In your current role as Director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, you bring science into government decision-making.', and we know that water is closely linked to food, energy, ecosystems, and climate change. So how, from your perspective, Professor, can governments make better use of science and evidence to support policies that will bring these sectors together and accelerate progress on SDG 6?

Thank you for that question. As I mentioned in my previous remarks, we are in, you know, in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution with an unprecedented capacity to measure, compute, and use remote sensing and other tools to understand what is going on around us. We can understand like in remote areas of the world where things are going wrong and what is happening. So there is no excuse anymore to say that we don't have the evidence. So if governments want to have the— or are open to the uptake of science, then we can think about disrupting the dominant narratives and thinking differently and coming up with new framings that point us to the right problems. The problem of water is the problem of diversity. We go from one location to another, things are very different. We also go along the spectrum of water from the moment, like, you know, where we have the glaciers, from the point of the glaciers to the point that water is getting into the ocean. Problems are very different. And if you don't recognize the whole supply chain, the whole value chain, then we don't understand what is going wrong. If you don't understand that, yes, we don't have glaciers within our territories in a certain location in the world, but glaciers are the pulse of the planet. If something is wrong with them, the whole world is going to suffer. Then we can, we can change that. We have done it for some other spaces, but not enough for water. That's, I think, the problem. If we don't understand the fact that 70% of the world's water is in the good hands of farmers who rely on water for supporting their livelihood and food and so on, then we don't understand that governments need to provide water to the point, you know, to them even in the state of water bankruptcy as long as there is no alternative mode of livelihood. That's why finance and the transfer of technology becomes important. That's why our view of the farmers would change because we see them as the saviors of the planet, not the ones that are destroying the planet. That's why we understand that the path to a more equitable and sustainable future is crossing through the empowerment of farmers. And that is something that the Global South likes. That is something that the farmers and the rural communities of the world deserve. All of these are in science, yet we have to essentially allow the, political lens to attract these things and look at what the science and the evidence is telling us, not what we essentially want to believe and assume. Technology is there, hope is there, findings are there, evidence is there. It's just that, you know, these moments and momentum that we have created can help us take the best of science into the policy circles and let the decision-making be more inclusive and equal.

Thank you so much. I'm now turning to our lead discussants. Firstly, Ms. Margaret Miner, Executive Officer, Women in Water and Sanitation Association, who will also speak on behalf of the Women's Major Group, and I please to ask you to limit to 3 minutes. Thank you.

Thank you. Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, my name is Margaret Maina from Kenya and I'm honored to speak on behalf of the Women's Major Group. As a young girl growing up in Kenya, I carried water from rivers before and after school. That experience shaped my life and taught me a lesson that has guided me guided my work in Kenya's water sector. SDG 6 is simply not one goal among 17. It is an enabler of the entire 2030 Agenda. For this reason, the Women's Major Group calls for three urgent actions. First, recognize water and sanitation as fundamental human rights by ensuring that services are safe, available, accessible, affordable, and sustainably managed for everyone. Second, place women and girls at the center of water governance in investing gender-responsive water services, including menstrual health and hygiene, strengthening women's leadership, and ensuring inclusive services that leave no one behind. Third, significantly increase investment in climate resilience water watch systems, and recognize SDG 6 as the foundation for achieving better health, education, food security, gender equality, climate resilience, and sustainable economic development. These actions matter because water and sanitation are about far more than infrastructure. They are both health, dignity, equality, and opportunity. Climate change is intensifying droughts, floods, and scarcity, placing even gender burdens on women and girls, who continue to spend countless hours collecting water while facing increased health and safety risks from inadequate sanitation. Women are not only beneficiaries of WASH services, they are leaders, professionals, innovators, and decision makers whose knowledge and lived experience and experiences are essential for sustainable water governance. Governments, financial institutions, and development partners must therefore significantly increase investment in universal climate resilience and gender-responsive water services. The cost of inaction will far exceed the cost of investing today. My own journey from carrying 20-liter jerrycan as a village girl to serving as a water professional and utility leader is living evidence that investments in safe water, sanitation, education, and women's leadership can transform lives and communities. Water does not change lives simply because it flows through pipes. It changes lives because it opens the door to health, education, dignity, equality, and opportunity. Yet, somewhere today, another girl is beginning the same journey I started many years ago. Let us ensure that by 2030, her future is defined not by the distance she walks to fetch water, but by the opportunities that safe, available, affordable, and sustainable water and sanitation make. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Our next discussant is Mr. Leping Li, Director of the Land and Water Division at FAO. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Moderator, Mr. President of ICCSOC, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues. Thank you for convening this forum at a decisive moment. Water is becoming the defining resource challenge of our time. It underpins food production, energy, economic growth, and healthy ecosystems. Yet progress on SDG 6 is lagging. At the current rate, the world will not achieve SDG 6 by 2030. Today, 2.4 billion people live in water-stressed countries. Floods and droughts are becoming more frequent and more severe. Rivers, lakes, and aquifers are under increasing pressure, while access to water remains deeply unequal. These challenges cannot be solved by one sector alone. The water, energy, food, Ecosystem Nexus and Integrated Water Resource Management offer practical approaches to managing competing demands. Yet neither will succeed unless agriculture is part of the solution. Agriculture accounts for 72% of the global freshwater withdrawals. It is therefore where better water management can have the greatest impact. Behind that figure are hundreds of millions of farmers, herders, and irrigators, the people who make water decisions every day on every continent. Three priority actions deserve greater attention. First, improve water productivity across agri-food systems. The objective is not simply to use less water, but to produce more food, improve livelihood, and protect water resources. This requires better planning, better technologies, and reliable data. FEU supports members in informing sound policies and investments through global data tools and monitoring platforms, including AquaSTAT and WaPa. Members are already using this data to target integrated— to target irrigation investment where returns in food and water are highest. Second, investment in resilience before crises deepen. Expanding rainwater harvesting and storage, wastewater reuse, drought-resilient crops, and efficient irrigation systems. This will help countries managing increasing climate variability while protecting food production. Third, strengthen inclusive water governance systems at decision-making levels. Farmers, pastoralists, women, youth, and indigenous peoples shall have a meaningful role in the sustainable management of water. Secure and equitable water access is not only a matter of fairness, it is essential for productivity, resilience, and long-term stewardship. Water connects every Sustainable Development Goal, but if we want to faster progress, we must overcome the siloed thinking and focus on where greatest opportunities lie. Better water management in agriculture is one of them. FAO will continue to work with members to advance integrated solutions for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Li. I'd like to thank all the panellists and the lead discussants for their contributions. Mr. President, I think we have heard that water is not yet at the centre stage. There are many challenges, but at the same time a lot of optimism momentum. We have science. We have examples of political commitment, investment, partnerships, and good practices that we can share and scale. And it's very clear that SDG 6 cuts across the entire 2030 Agenda, and as we just heard, water changes lives. So I hand back to you, Mr. President.

Thank you. I thank the moderator, Ms. Baghel, for conducting the panel discussion. We'll now proceed to the interactive discussion. Delegations wishing to intervene are invited to request the floor by pressing the button on the microphone console. I also take the opportunity to remind participants that the time limit for the intervention from the floor is 2 to 3 minutes. Also bear in mind that the time limit may need to be adjusted downwards depending on the number of the requests for the floor. In case the speakers exceed the time limit, the microphone will be automatically deactivated. I apologize in advance if speakers are cut off. This measure is being taken to ensure that all the speakers can deliver their statements in the limited time available for the discussions. To ensure proper interpretations, delegations are asked to speak at a normal pace and to provide a written copy of their statements by email to e-statements@un.org at least 2 hours— not possible, probably— in advance of delivery, and full versions of the longer interpretations can be submitted to the Secretariat. With this, now I would like to invite the Honourable Minister for Water and Sanitation of South Africa.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. As South Africa, we really appreciate a comprehensive report by the Secretary-General. We commit ourselves as South Africa to ensure that access to water and sanitation in the country is accelerated. We have the Human Rights Commission, which is a watchdog of government in ensuring that we adhere to what we have committed to do. We also do to our biannual statistician general report, who goes in each and every area in South Africa to check the access for water. Notably, government cannot do this alone. We must involve all stakeholders in water, but what is more important is to make an environment to be enabling environment for financial markets as well as finances to be able to invest in water, but government must cut the red tapes that always hinder progress on the matter. Investment for water, financing, and technology— we must always put our front foot forward, and we are ready to do that. There is a political will in South Africa in ensuring that the strides that we've done up to this far. When we hosted Africa Water Investment Summit in August 2025, all heads of state committed to that. On the 14th and 15th of February 2026, we presented the report in the African Union, and all heads of state still committed to the to the acceleration of water to all. When my sister was speaking here from Kenya, we share the same background. I'm coming from a rural area in a village where there is no clean water. I grew up fetching water. Even today, being a minister, I'm still fetching water. That is a clear display that especially in rural areas, we are unable to give people water at the time that is needed., and we are now accelerating water through groundwater to serve the unserved communities, especially in rural areas. We're looking forward for further engagement. South Africa, we are ready to be reviewed and to review others. That's the way to go. If we review one another, then we'll make it better for this world, for globally. We're also looking forward to co-chair with France as we go to UN Water Conference in December. Our roadmap has been implemented. Thank you very much, President.

We really appreciate. I thank Her Excellency Pemi Majudina, Minister for Water and Sanitation of South Africa. Now I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. James Brown, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of Ireland.

6 ensures access to water and sanitation for all. It's interrelated with other Sustainable Development Goals, for example, SDG 9, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 3, Good Health and well-being and SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, are dependent on the provision of water and sanitation. In addition, without clean water and sanitation, there is little possibility of reaching other sustainable development goals, including Sustainable Development Goal 5, or gender equality. Ireland aligns itself with the statement of the European Union and its members, which highlights the strong interlinkages between water, climate, food and biodiversity, among others. We wish to offer the following in a national capacity, emphasizing our deepening commitment to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6. Ireland has committed to acceding to the UN Water Convention and the Protocol on Water and Health during the lifetime of the Irish Presidency of the European Council. We aim to accede to these multilateral environmental agreements by 2026 UN Water Conference in December. Highlighting Ireland's commitment to international cooperation and the achievement of SDG 6, sending a strong political signal on the importance of transboundary cooperation on water. Ireland looks forward to the 2026 UN Water Conference and contributing to strengthening the global water agenda in the coming decade. In Ireland, we engage in multi-stakeholder water governance, integrating technical and policy-based expertise to deliver water policy, including alignment with the EU Water Resilience Strategy. This strategy aims to address vulnerabilities in water supply, including risks from drought and from pollution. Ireland is applying nature-based solutions, including the integrated catchment management and natural water retention measures, to enhance water quality, biodiversity, and flood resilience. Progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6, is off track. The UN Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 highlights that although global water and sanitation have, uh, have improved, billions of people remain without access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. The report notes achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require doubling the current rate of progress. Measures addressing the water-energy-foods ecosystem's nexus and promoting integrated water resource management are of the utmost importance. Ireland is committed to leveraging interlinkages between Sustainable Development Goals to advance the delivery of Sustainable Development Goal 6. Ireland has commenced the accession processes for the UN Water Convention and the Protocol on Water and Health. Thank you.

I thank His Excellency the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, of Ireland. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Namibia speaking on behalf of the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair. Transboundary water cooperation is among the most off-track dimensions of SDG 6, yet it determines the success of the entire 2030 Agenda. Agenda. Transboundary basins span 153 countries and host 40% of the world's population. Yet only 43 states have operational arrangements covering most of their shared waters. Climate impacts do not respect borders, and only 14% of transboundary basins have joined adaptation strategies. Only cooperation secures water stability, peace and prosperity for all. Cooperation delivers. In shared basins, competing cross-border needs for drinking water, energy, food and ecosystems collide. Only joint institutions can effectively manage trade-offs and maximize benefits. Decades of collaboration on the Senegal River and Itaipu between Brazil and Paraguay have advanced water access, energy security, and drought resilience. The two UN conventions on transboundary water cooperation, and more specifically the 1992 UN Water Convention, provides a proven global legal framework to establish joint bodies exchange data, and prevent disputes. Cooperation makes water investment possible. Clear agreed-upon rules and functioning joint bodies reduce risks for financiers, unlocking lending that no single riparian country could mobilize. Often, having an adequate legal and institutional— foundation enables investments, but seed investments can also help advance such institutional foundations. Basin organizations must be recognized and adequately resourced as vital catalysts of investment and development. The 2023 UN Water Conference catalyzed momentum on transboundary water cooperation. The 2026 and 2028 conferences must sustain and accelerate it. Under Interactive Dialogue D: Water for Cooperation, the proposed flagship initiatives can galvanize action on the basins and aquifer cooperation, drive measurable implementation outcomes, and encourage accession to both UN Water Conventions. By doing so, we will strengthen continuity across UN Water conferences and anchor shared waters in the development of sustainable water management.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Nabibia speaking on behalf of the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of European Union on behalf— speaking on behalf of the EU and its member states.

Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the EU and its member states. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Armenia, Monaco, and San Marino align themselves with this statement. Water is at the heart of sustainable development as it is a powerful connector across the SDGs. Yet progress on SDG 6 remains off track, as we have heard today. Accelerating implementation requires not only greater ambition, but more integrated, better financed, and more cooperative action across sectors and across borders. Mr. President, for the EU and its member states, delivering on SDG 6 means advancing water resilience as a foundation for the entire 2030 Agenda. This is reflected in the EU Water Resilience Strategy, which among other things recognizes the interdependence of water, food, energy, and ecosystems. In doing so, we contribute directly to SDG 6 while also supporting progress across other SDGs. We also recognize that financing remains a critical challenge. We need to mobilize more public and private capital for resilient water and sanitation services for ecosystem restoration, for water-efficient technologies, and for climate adaptation. But financing must also be matched by enabling policy frameworks, stronger institutions, workforce capacity, and better project pipelines. Transboundary water cooperation is another indispensable pillar of progress. More than 60% of the world's fresh water flows through shared basins. Effective cooperation across borders is therefore not optional. It is essential for resilience, peace, stability, and sustainable development. Mr. President, the 2026 UN Water Conference will be a critical milestone to maintain political momentum and to strengthen accountability for implementation. It should help translate commitments into measurable action, promote scalable solutions, and reinforce coherence between the water agenda and the wider 2030 Agenda. The conference should be inclusive of all stakeholders, and we hope that it will be a stepping stone towards a more structured engagement on water at the United Nations. The EU and its member states remain committed to working with partners to accelerate progress on SDG 6 through integrated water management, stronger resilience, inclusive governance, and enhance transboundary water cooperation. Water must be recognized not only as a sectoral priority but as a strategic enabler of sustainable development, climate resilience, and security. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the European Union speaking on behalf of the EU. Now I give the floor to the Vice Minister of Integration and Development of Brazil, to be followed by Canada, Azerbaijan, India.

Thank you, Mr. President, Excellencies, delegates, ladies and gentlemen. Brazil fully endorses the premise of this review. Water and sanitation are not sectorial issues. They are the foundations upon which development is built. Or denied. A decade into the 2030 Agenda, the global picture of SGD 6 is sobering. No target is on track. 2.2 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water. 3.5 billion lack safely managed sanitation. Progress is happening, but at a pace that cannot close the gaps by 2030. We need to be direct about what that means. The failure of SGD 6 would not be failure of water sector, but indeed a development failure. Brazil represents a voluntary national review at this forum, and we do so honestly. We have made meaningful advances domestically. As of 2023, 98% of Brazil's population has access to safely managed drinking water. We have expanded our sanitation coverage and improved water quality monitoring across more than 4,000 points in our territory. UN-Water recognized Brazil for its acceleration progress in SGD6. We take note of that recognition with satisfaction, but we also take note of what remains to be done. Only 6% 60% of our population has access to safely managed sanitation. Outwardly, half of the domestic wastewater we generate is still discharged without adequate treatment. Structural inequalities persist between urban and rural areas, between regions, between racial groups. In the north—

I thank the Vice Minister of Prajal, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, now we got more than 60 delegations requesting for the floor. In view of this, we will limit the time 1.5 minutes so as to accommodate more delegations to have the opportunity to speak. With this, now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Canada, to be followed by Azerbaijan and India.

Thank you, Mr. President. Clean water— sorry, clean and safe water is fundamental to life, health, and prosperity. While Canada is fortunate to hold some of the world's largest freshwater reserves, this advantage does not make us immune to risk. Climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure continue to place pressure on water quality and availability. Ensuring clean water and sanitation for all remains a national priority. To protect public health, Canada works collaboratively across levels of government to establish national drinking water quality guidelines and ensure consistent protection while respecting local responsibilities. One of the clearest lessons from Canada's experience is the importance of equity and inclusion. Improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation in First Nations communities remains an urgent priority, requiring not only infrastructure investment but also meaningful partnerships, Indigenous leadership, operational capacity, and community-driven solutions. We have seen that SDG 6 is inseparable from SDG 10, on reducing inequalities. By working together across goals, sectors, and borders, we can protect freshwater ecosystems, ensure access to safe water and sanitation, and—

I thank the distinguished representative of Canada. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan.

Thank you, Mr. President. Azerbaijan has undertaken significant measures to improve water security and strengthening national resilience. Azerbaijan hosting 13th session of World Urban Forum in Baku in May in 2026 further demonstrates our country's commitment to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban development. The discussion held under the theme of Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities, reaffirms that sustainable cities cannot be achieved without reliable water supply, effective sanitation, climate-resilient infrastructure, and integrated urban planning. As the host of COP29, Azerbaijan has consistently emphasized that climate action must be practical, inclusive, and development-oriented. Water security is one of the clearest areas where climate policy and sustainable development objectives converge. Azerbaijan considers SDG 6 not only as a water and sanitation goal, but as a foundation for climate resilience, food security, public health, sustainable cities, and regional cooperation. Importantly, the Baku Dialogue has continued beyond COP29, with meetings in Bonn and COP30 in Balam supported by UNEP, UNESCO, and WMO, advance practical water-climate action, including data resilience, NDC and NAP.

I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Azerbaijan. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of India, to be followed by International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Portugal, Ukraine, Mexico, Nepal.

Thank you, Mr. President. Progress on SDG 6, has a multiplier effect across food security, health, energy, biodiversity, and resilient cities. Yet implementation remains uneven and must be accelerated through nationally determined solutions. India's experience demonstrates that political commitment, public investment, and community ownership can deliver transformative results. And as Mr. Jha also highlighted, through Jal Jeevan Mission, more than 150 million rural households have gained access to tap water connections, complemented by the Swachh Bharat Mission, which has significantly expanded sanitation coverage and improved public health outcomes, particularly for women and girls. These efforts have been reinforced by scientific monitoring, digital platforms, and local participation, illustrating the importance of a strong science-policy interface. As we prepare for the forthcoming UN Water Conference, our focus should remain on accelerating implementation rather than creating new processes. Adequate means of implementation remain indispensable. Developed countries must fulfill their commitments on finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity building so that no one is left behind.

I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of India. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Thank you, Chair.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates. As we have heard today, SDG 6 is off track. This is not only a financing or technical problem, it is at its core a governance problem. The lack of a comprehensive governance architecture for water leads to fragmentation, low accountability, and poor continuity. This is why IUCN is calling on member states to launch an intergovernmental process toward a global framework for water governance and action. A voluntary, non-legally binding framework that would provide 3 things that are currently missing. First, regular intergovernmental meetings to maintain political direction and momentum on water. Second, a shared implementation and review architecture with accountability mechanisms. And third, a financing pillar to provide systems-oriented financing. The December 2026 UN Water Conference is the moment to launch this process. SDG 6 needs not only acceleration, but transformation into a durable architecture for how we govern the global water cycle. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative, representative of IUCN. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative Portugal.

Excellencies, Portugal aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union. It is widely recognized that with less than 4 years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, SDG 6 remains off track. Turning this trend around requires stronger implementation, science-based policies, and integrated water resource management. At national level, we continue to strengthen the sustainable management of our water resources through the national strategy Water That Unites, promoting improved governance, water efficiency, reuse, and climate adaptation. Cooperation also remains central to our approach, especially transboundary cooperation. Furthermore, the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs are a priority of our development cooperation strategy. In 2025, Portugal reinforced its support to the water and sanitation sector, reaching €4 million. Through projects in Mozambique, Angola, and Cabo Verde, we support stronger water governments, climate resilience, and improved wastewater management. Looking ahead, Portugal remains fully committed to the success of the 2026 and 2028 United Nations Water Conferences. They are important milestones to accelerate implementation of SDG 6. Portugal stands ready to work with all partners to advance sustainable and inclusive water management, ensuring that no one is left behind. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Portugal. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine.

Thank you. Ukraine remains firmly committed to implement—

implementation of SDG 6 and its targets.

However, Russia's war has become one of the gravest threats to water security in Europe in recent history.

Russian missiles and drones deliberately target Ukraine's water infrastructure, destroying water supply facilities, pumping stations, drainage systems, and related critical infrastructure. As a result, residents of dozens of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages are repeatedly left without access to drinking water and sanitation. Military activities have caused widespread contamination of both surface and groundwater. Pollution from heavy metals, oil products, toxic chemicals, and hazardous substances enters rivers and aquifers following missile strikes, explosions, and attacks on industrial facilities.

One of the most devastating examples of Ukraine— of Russia's environmental crimes remains the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam. This deliberate act caused one of the largest environmental disasters in Europe in decades.

Despite these enormous challenges, Ukraine remains committed to building a modern, resilient, and sustainable water sector. We highly value the support provided by our international partners and United Nations agencies in restoring water infrastructure, addressing environmental damage, and supporting communities affected by the war. Ukraine stands ready to continue sharing its experience, strengthening international cooperation and advancing the implementation of SDG 6.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ukraine. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.

Muchas gracias. Thank you, President. For Mexico, ensuring the sustainable management of water is an indispensable condition for achieving the 2030 Agenda. We have to strengthen the integrated management of water with a long-term vision, based on sustainability and rights. Since 2018, Mexico incorporated into its National Development Plan a systemic and cross-cutting vision of sustainable development, placing the human right to water at the center of public policy. Building on this foundation, our national legal framework, supported by the General Water Law, the National Water Law, and the National Agreement on the Human Right to Water and Sustainability, strengthens a model aimed at promoting the efficient and transparent use of resources. We are modernizing water infrastructure through satellite monitoring, telemetry for major industrial water users, and real-time water quality monitoring. This strengthens the oversight of water extraction, addresses aquifer overexploitation, and contributes to the recovery of environmental flows. Our policies also incorporate an intersectional and gender-responsive approach, recognizing that greater participation in decision-making strengthens water governance.. We also continue to promote investment in both conventional and green water infrastructure, supported by innovative financing mechanisms for sanitation and technological modernization. Lastly, we're convinced that achieving SDG 6 will only be possible through strong partnerships among governments, the private sector, academia, and society.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Mexico. Now I give the floor to the distinguished the representative of Nepal, to be followed by Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Slovenia, Netherlands, and Holy See.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Excellencies, for Nepal, SDG 6 reflects both our development priority and climate change imperative. Our rivers fed by the Himalayan glaciers are vital not only for the country but for the entire South Asian region. Our national policy frameworks prioritize universal access, climate resilient systems, water shed protection and strengthen regulatory institutions. Nepal has achieved over 95 and 96% coverage in basic sanitation and water supply respectively, while 61% people access safely managed sanitation. The WASH initiative has significantly reduced waterborne diseases and improved health outcomes and learning environments, particularly for women and girls. However, geographic difficulty, urban-rural disparities, limited infrastructure and resource constraints continue to hinder equitable access, particularly in remote and mountainous regions. Climate change is further exacerbating uncertainties in water availability, while rapid urbanization is placing additional strain on water supply and sanitation systems. Looking ahead, Mr. Chair, Nepal emphasized the need for strengthened international cooperation, enhanced concessional, blended, and climate financing, and technology transfer to support water and sanitation systems. We call for a scale-up investment in climate-resilient water infrastructure integrated river basin management and nature-based solutions to safeguard freshwater ecosystems. Finally, Nepal sees great potential in leveraging the 2026-2028 UN Conference to advance a more coherent global water architecture, partnership, and UN-wide support. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nepal. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Dominica. Dominican Republic.

Thank you very much, President, for giving me the floor. SDG 6 reminds us that water is not only a natural resource but also the basis for health, food security, economic stability, as well as peace among our nations. Without clean, accessible water, no objective of the 2030 Agenda can be reached fully. For the Dominican Republic, as an island state, developing state, this dependency acquires special importance. We are facing many vulnerabilities in the face of climate change that directly affects the availability and quality of our water resources. And that is why we have advanced the Pact for Water 2021-2036, an institutional mechanism that made it possible to mobilize significant investment in infrastructure, water infrastructure, in sanitation, and also environmental monitoring, strengthening coordination among the different actors in that sector. We have also made progress in developing adaptation strategies directed to strengthening resilience in our more vulnerable communities. The Dominican Republic reiterates once again its commitment to continue working hand in hand with the international community to accelerate compliance with SDG 6, convinced that only through cooperation we'll be able to achieve it. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Dominican Republic. Now I give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Indonesia. Thank you, Mr. President.

Indonesia focuses on three priorities. First, governance. Through the 2025 2025 roadmap of water-energy-food nexus, Indonesia is strengthening evidence-based planning and coordination across sectors. This includes ensuring private sector participation to mobilize investment. Second, communities.

Solutions must work for communities on the ground. Community-based initiatives are therefore vital to bring services closer to the people, strengthen local ownership, and sustain behavioral change. Third, inclusion, to ensure meaningful involvement of all stakeholders in planning, delivery, and monitoring.

This includes the very special role of women. Looking ahead, Indonesia will use the UN Water Conferences to mobilize cooperation, financing, and solutions for SDG 6.

Thank you. I thank the Permanent Representative of Indonesia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Slovenia.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Slovenia is pleased to report that at our national level, the implementation of the SDG 6 is progressing well. The overall state of water resources in our water-rich country is good. Access to drinking water and sanitation is universal, in accordance with the human right to drinking water, which we enshrined into our Constitution. Water quality remains high and pressures on water resources are relatively low. These results reflect our longstanding commitment to integrated water resources management and environmental protection. In our experience, accelerating progress requires integrated policies that combine water management, ecosystem protection and climate adaptation. We must strengthen scientific cooperation, improve monitoring and promote innovative technologies. Equally important is the recognition that water is closely linked with health, food, and energy security, climate action, and biodiversity. Only by fully leveraging these interlinkages through coherent and well-integrated policies can we maximize the benefit of our actions. We would like to emphasize that particular attention should be given to transboundary water cooperation. Shared waters require shared responsibility. Since 2024, Slovenia has had the honor to of chairing the Bureau of the UN Seawater Convention. Building on our tradition of cooperation, we are promoting climate resilience in transboundary basins, innovating monitoring technology—

I thank the distinguished representative of Slovenia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Excellencies and distinguished delegates, My name is Ishata, and I'm the UN Youth Representative on Sustainable Development for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. And today I will share a message on behalf of the youth. Water is the foundation of life. It nourishes our soil, sustains ecosystems, and connects every living being on this planet. Yet often it is viewed as a resource to be managed or exploited rather than a source of life that connects us all, especially with global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss, we cannot overlook the fundamental role of water in addressing these interconnected challenges. That is why young people are advocating for nature-based solutions, because we know that a sustainable future requires resilient solutions that work in harmony with nature rather than against it. And initiatives such as Room for the River and the Dutch Delta Programme show that nature-based approaches can strengthen long-term resilience. Finally, we should also remind ourselves ourselves that water is not something we just see outside, it is also within us. The human body is made up of water, and without it, none of us can survive. That is why sustaining water is not the responsibility of one generation alone. It requires all of humanity to be aware and protect it, because in the end, protecting water means protecting life itself. Thank you.

I thank the Distinguished representative of Netherlands. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Holy See, to be followed by Algeria, Czechia, UNICEF, Republic of Moldova, and Georgia.

Mr. President, access to safe drinking water and sanitation is essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life. Yet billions of people still lack access to safe reliable water and sanitation. This inequality is not just a development challenge, but a profound injustice that violates human dignity. Water is neither a commodity nor an economic resource to be exploited. Rather, it's a common good and a shared gift and trust to the entire human family. This requires renewed urgency and scale-up support for developing countries particularly for those in special situations, by providing increased financial resources, technology transfer, and capacity building. However, acting as— achieving SDG 6 requires more than just technical solutions. It necessitates a profound cultural and ethical transformation. This approach calls for a renewed sense of responsibility at all levels. The upcoming 2026 Water Conference offers a timely opportunity to advance these efforts. Mr. President, safeguarding water means safeguarding life itself. Recognizing water as a common good means moving beyond narrow interests and to act in a spirit of solidarity, justice, for the benefit of current and future generations. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Holy See. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.

Shukran Sayyidina. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you to all the panelists. President, the global challenges highlighted in the report regarding water stress and the deterioration of water ecosystems demonstrate that SDG 6 cannot be achieved in isolation, but rather through an integrated approach that takes into account national priorities, In this regard, Algeria made water security a national priority in our sustainable development vision. Connection to drinking water exceeds 98%. We invested in desalination through 19 desalination stations at a capacity exceeding 3.75 million cubic meters daily. We also expanded treatment and reuse of wastewater, as well as efficiency of water supply networks and an integrated management system to ensure sustainability. Accordingly, we believe that accelerating progress requires three main elements. One, mobilizing financing that is sustainable and innovative to develop water infrastructure. Second, enhancing technology transfer and capacity building, especially in desalination and reuse and digitization. And third, further international and regional cooperation to exchange expertise and ensure efficiency. We look forward to working to enhance partnerships, mobilizing investment, and supporting innovative solutions that ensure water security for all, in line with the 2030 Agenda not to leave anyone behind. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Algeria. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Czechia.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, water is one of the fundamental conditions for health, economic development, and the stability of our societies.

This essential resource is increasingly under pressure.

The Czech Republic is a country that shares all major river basins with its neighbors. For us, cooperation is not optional. It is a necessity. We are increasingly facing the impacts of climate change. Longer periods of drought alternate with extreme rainfall.

This requires a shift in how we manage water.

We promote nature-based solutions, restore wetlands, and support measures that slow down runoff and increase natural infiltration. We also continue to invest in modern water infrastructure, improve water efficiency, and protect water quality.

Our experience only confirms what we already know at the global level.

We need to protect and restore water-related ecosystems.

We need to ensure universal access to safe water and sanitation for all.

That is why clean water and sanitation are among the priority areas of the Czech development assistance and humanitarian aid. The international platforms such as the United Nations Water Conference and other frameworks provide valuable opportunities to promote water resilience, encourage cooperation, and translate global commitments to practical action. Water connects us all—across borders, sectors, and across generations. If we fail on water, we will fail on the entire 2030 Agenda, and if we succeed, we will unlock progress across all SDGs.

Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Czechia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of UNICEF.

Very glad to be here today.

Too often, water and sanitation are treated as outcome of development rather than prerequisite of development. This is a costly mistake. A community without reliable water cannot sustain health gain. A school without sanitation cannot offer safe learning environment.

Especially for adolescent girls.

A health facility without water and sanitation, hygiene, environmental cleaning, and waste management cannot provide quality care. A city expanding without inclusive sanitation planning creates a risk of creating a new vulnerability and pollution zone and disease transmission area. Development that does not connect to water and sanitation is a development with a weak pulse. This is why we are working together with many partners to ensure that we connect the pulse. In the same time, when water systems are not resilient, such as shock rapidly escalating into humanitarian crisis, disrupting essential service undermine children's rights. So the new index, Wash Index, that you have created aims to support government and partners to ensure that those risks are addressed, and also alongside with the joint monitoring programme, we are creating a more robust and also risk-informed decision-making process. Thank you, Excellency. Thank you, President.

I thank the distinguished representative of UNICEF. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Moldova.

Thank you, President. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Republic of Moldova in its capacity as chair of the meeting of the parties to the Protocol on Water and Health. The protocol, jointly serviced by UNEC and WHO Regional Office for Europe, demonstrates that integrated governance of water and health delivers tangible results. It is the only world legally binding international agreements specifically linking water management with the prevention of water-related diseases. In this vein, a few specific points. First, significant experience and tools developed under the protocol in the pan-European region is available for countries worldwide. Second, in the multilateral context, existing Instruments like the Water Convention and the Protocol on Water and Health should be the core pillar of an overall landscape for water in the post-2030 agenda. Third, as Chair of the Protocol on Water and Health, the Republic of Moldova reaffirms its commitment to work with parties and non-parties, United Nations entities and partners to avoid integrated approach that protects both people and environment. I thank you.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Moldova. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Georgia.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair.

Georgia has made significant progress in recent years through major investments in water supply and sanitation infrastructure. Infrastructure. Georgia will ensure to provide 100% of its urban population with access to safe and reliable drinking water by 2028. The urban settlements will benefit from continuous standard-compliant water supply and rural coverage will follow through phased investments. While access to water supply has improved significantly, there is still a major need in aspect of the sanitation of all the country. Currently, active preparatory works is underway for the cities to provide modern sewerage networks and wastewater treatment plants. These projects will be implemented gradually over the next 11 years and require approximately $1.5 billion as an investment. Looking ahead, the investment will be— the need of the investment will be— particularly in the context of the increased urbanization, of increase of the context of the climate change, and at the same time the need for technological modernization. Therefore, we believe that it's vital for countries and development partners to share a common understanding that water and sanitation investments aimed at achieving SDG 6 should be supported through the

I thank the distinguished representative of Georgia.

Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of major group for children and youth, to be followed by Morocco, Zimbabwe, France, Philippines, Liberia.

Thank you, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, and fellow stakeholders. I am Egi Markou from the Water Youth Network, the global focal point for SDG 6 and I speak on behalf of the Major Group for Children and Youth. This session is a timely space to reflect not only where water sits across the 2030 Agenda, but how young people are being mobilized to deliver on it. As MGCY SDG 6 constituency, we are already mobilizing youth for the UN Water Conference and how member states and co-hosts can strengthen this work. We are establishing a global youth organizing committee, delivering capacity building programs, compiling a global database of young water experts, and developing youth policy recommendations to strengthen meaningful youth engagement throughout the preparatory processes. Young people are not waiting to be engaged. We are already organizing. What we now need is institutional support. We therefore call upon the co-hosts of the UN Water Conference to provide dedicated funding for youth participation and to establish an official youth forum within the conference agenda. As SDG 6 enters its next phase of review, we encourage UN-Water and member states to institutionalize youth engagement through formal participation mechanisms, investment in youth capacity, support for youth-led networks, and youth representation across the SDG 6 processes. And the MGCY is ready to support these efforts. We look forward to working together to accelerate progress towards SDG 6. Thank you.

Thank the distinguished representative of Major Group for Children and Youth. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco.

Mr.

Chair, distinguished delegates.

For Morocco, SDG 6 is inseparable from development, human security, and climate resilience. As a semi-arid country, Morocco faces structural water challenges worsened by climate change impacts and rising demand, agriculture alone accounting for more than 80% of national water use.

Under the high leadership of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom of Morocco has deployed an integrated water strategy built on 4 pillars.

First, a longstanding dam policy with over 140 large dams and storage capacity exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. Second, expanding desalination, targeting 1.7 billion cubic meters annually by 2030, alongside the reuse of 400 million cubic meters of treated wastewater. Third, water use efficiency with localized irrigation.

Fourth, strengthened basin-level governance involving agricultural water users directly.

Our experience point to three priorities for accelerating SDG 6: integrated water—

first, integrated water-energy-food policies, scaled-up financing, and stronger South-South cooperation.

The 2026 UN Water Conference must translate these priorities into tangible commitments. I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, the distinguished representative of Morocco. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mr.

President, thank you very much, and all protocols observed. Zimbabwe has more than 10,000 dams which provide the strategic water body across the country. At community level, the government is rolling out 35,000 solar-powered balls across the country. These are complemented by village business units which are supporting nutrition, gardens, fisheries, and other income-generating activities. Together, the dams and boreholes are accelerating access to clean water while advancing food security, livelihoods, and poverty reduction. Under a homegrown program, the National Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Program, Zimbabwe is expanding irrigated agriculture, strengthening resilience to climate shocks and supporting sustainable rural development. These initiatives, Mr. President, are demonstrating that the practical linkages between SG6 and the broader 2030 Agenda. We know that there are problems such as climate change continues to ravage us, increased droughts, and also extreme weather events with rapid urbanization and population growth. Which are affecting implementation. As we approach 2030, our collective task is to translate commitments into practical solutions that reach communities, protect ecosystems, and also strengthen resilience.

I thank the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of France.

Merci. Thank you. This review of SDG 6, it's crucial to recall that access to water takes place on a territory. Local communities are on the front lines, but SDG 6 cannot be achieved in an isolated manner. Water is at the heart of interconnections between SDGs like health, food security, and gender equality, etc. French local communities have experience with this on the daily. They develop comprehensive approaches, fostering nature-based approaches, reducing losses in their networks, and encouraging citizens to sustainably manage these resources. This year's review ought to recall two points to our— to us. First of all, only local communities that are fully involved in public policy. Without them, achieving the 2030 Agenda is not possible. Without them, we risk that we will not be able to achieve the 2030 deadline. We have proposed this at a preparatory meeting for Dakar for the next UN conference. That the SDGs linked to water ought to be enshrined as soon as possible as global water goals, independently of the future of the 2030 Agenda.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of France. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Philippines.

Thank you, Mr. President. As one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, the Philippines recognizes that strengthening water security is essential to building resilient communities. We continue to advance integrated water resources management through watershed protection, river basin planning, improved water use efficiency, and investments in climate-resilient water infrastructure. We are also expanding access to safely water-managed drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities. Science, technology, and innovation are key to accelerating implementation. The Philippines is harnessing remote sensing, quantum computing, climate information services, smart metering, artificial intelligence, and advanced flood forecasting to strengthen water governance and support evidence-based decision-making. Mr. President, achieving SDG 6 requires stronger international cooperation. We therefore call for predictable financing, public-private partnerships, technology transfer, and capacity building that respond to national priorities. As preparations continue for the 2026 and 2028 UN Water Conference, We encourage the international community to accelerate implementation of the Water Action Agenda and translate commitments into concrete action. The Philippines remains committed to working with all partners to advance integrated, science-based, and people-centered water governance in pursuit of SDG 6. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Philippines. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Liberia, to be followed by Poland, Thailand, UAE, Côte d'Ivoire and Malawi. Thank you.

Liberia shares both the global challenges and the progress recently reported by the Joint Monitoring Program of UNICEF and WHO. At current, we stand at 79% of access to basic drinking water. However, the report reminds us that much work needs to be done on access to sanitation at globally, as we have only 23%. Recognizing these things, over the past 2 years, Liberia has accelerated investment in water infrastructure. Our extensive groundwater resources, we are increasingly using them to create sustainable climate resilient water systems, especially in communities where traditional surface water solutions are either too costly or technically challenging to implement. In rural towns, we are implementing solar panel water system, standalone water system, in order to increase water supply to communities that are in need.

Our sanitation system remains a challenge.

And these challenges we understand. We cannot achieve the full public health value of the SDG 6 if sanitation remains unattended to. In most of these gatherings, we discuss more about water and not pay much attention to sanitation. We therefore encourage us to consider sanitation.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Liberia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Poland.

Dear Excellencies, distinguished delegates, today water security is just as important as energy security. Effective water management requires moving beyond administrative boundaries towards a river basin approach. As we all know, water knows no borders. For this reason, Poland supports the development of a coordinated approach to water retention projects based on a river basin management. In our view, the implementation of SDG 6 extends far beyond what is reflected in the title. It is also an investment in food security, public health, biodiversity conservation, the development of local economies, and the climate resilience. Green and blue infrastructure should become the standard. Sustainable stormwater management increases local water retention, and reducing surface sealing not only improves citizens' quality of life but also reduces the risk of flash flooding. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, we believe that the greatest progress can be achieved through an integrated approach that brings together water policy, nature conservation, spatial planning, agriculture, and climate policy while actively engaging local governments, scientific community, and the local stakeholders.

I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Poland. Now I give the floor to The distinguished representative of Thailand.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thailand places high priority on advancing SDG 6, recognizing that water is deeply linked to livelihood and security of our people. We have continued to strengthen water resources management and sanitation through the 20-Year Water Resources Management Master Plan and the Clean Water for Domestic Consumption Action Plan. As a result, Thailand has achieved near-universal access to drinking water services and basic sanitation. These achievements have contributed significantly to reducing waterborne diseases and enhancing public health. Nevertheless, Thailand continues to face challenges in water quality management at the national level and in transboundary rivers. Addressing these challenges requires us to seek more effective tools and mechanisms to support integrated and system-wide water quality management across the entire water system. Accelerating action on water quality requires science-based policies, particularly reliable data for effective water monitoring and early warning system, which strengthen cooperation on water quality management at both bilateral and multilateral levels. It is also important to join measure to prevent and reduce pollution, including through the application of nature-based solution and traditional engineering infrastructure. Excellencies, in a world increasingly affected by adverse effect of climate change and rapid urbanization, the health of wetlands and river is under growing pressure. Thailand believes that integrated water resource management provides an effective framework for promoting the coordinated development and management of water, land, and riverhead resources. Through these efforts, we can better manage risks, accelerate progress towards SDG 6, and strengthen water security for all.

I thank the distinguished representative of Thailand. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of UAE.

Thank you, Chair, for hosting this important session on SDG 6. Located in one of the most water-scarce regions in the world, the UAE has long demonstrated innovation and resilience in driving progress on water action. Most recently, we launched the Abu Dhabi Global Water Platform, which is a $2 billion initiative aiming to impact 10 million people by 2030. Domestically, the UAE Water Security Strategy 2030 SDG 6 has transformed national water governance, targeting a 21% national water demand reduction, a 95% wastewater reuse rate, and more than 100 million tons of CO2 emission reduction. All of this experience will be deployed as we prepare for the 2026 UN Water Conference, and you will hear more about these plans at the SDG 6 special event this afternoon and during our flagship side event taking place on 14 July. We also hope that this year will be an opportunity to set the path for sustained and coordinated dialogue and action on water. The momentum is with us, and we welcome and encourage all member states and stakeholders to join us in elevating our efforts to see SDG 6 delivered, taking advantage of the key opportunity that the 2026 UN Water Conference will present in Abu Dhabi this December. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of UAE. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Côte d'Ivoire.

Merci, Monsieur.

Thank you, President. Côte d'Ivoire aligns itself with the statements of the African Group and welcomes the decision of the African Union to make 2026 the Year of Universal Access to Water and to Safe Sanitation Systems. We commend the UN's Initiatives for Water, which helps to accelerate investment, strengthening capacity, and improving water governance. For Côte d'Ivoire, water and sanitation are a strategic priority for implementing the SDGs. To this regard, we have made investments and reforms allowing for significant progress to be made with a level of access to drinking water that is over 50% in 2011 and rose to 80% in 2024. And we have almost doubled our sanitation access. However, challenges remain, and that is why sustainable management of water resources, universal access to drinking water, and improving sanitation are some of our national priorities for 2022-2030 Development Plan, supported by strong international and national initiatives Through the Water for All initiative, we presented our national water strategy and are committed to mobilizing $5.5 billion by 2030. Mr. President, the GDP Investment in Water Group held a meeting in Abidjan to promote innovation to accelerate— microphone was cut off for the speaker.

I thank the distinguished representative of Côte d'Ivoire. Now I give the floor to the permanent representative of Malawi, to be followed by Switzerland, UNEP, UK, Finland, and Senegal.

Malawi remains committed to ensuring that all its citizens have access to safely managed water and sanitation by 2030. However, the pursuit of this goal has faced several obstacles. Malawi has therefore developed several policies to address these challenges. Our National Water Policy, National Sanitation and Hygiene Policy, and Integrated Water Resources Management Framework guide our response. To close water access, we require the following: framework, systemic transformation, including stronger coordination, clearer institutional mandates, and blended financing, combining domestic resources, development partners, and private capital. We recognize that water is foundational to health, food security, gender equality, cities, climate, and ecosystems. Leveraging this fully means moving from siloed planning to integrated frameworks across water, energy, agriculture, climate, and health. We therefore call for stronger financing partnerships, scaled investment innovation, empowered community ownership, cross-sector investment, and full use of global frameworks. I thank you.

Thank you, Permanent Representative of Malawi. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Switzerland. Merci, Monsieur le Président.

Thank you, Mr. President. 10 years after the adoption of SDG 6, we're at a pivotal moment. No progress has been achieved, but we cannot settle for sporadic responses. We must place water at the center of climate, agricultural, and development policy and strengthen transboundary cooperation, which is so crucial given that these are generally shared resources. Experience shows that sustainable development requires three pillars. First of all, strong commitment for comprehensive management of water sanitation. Secondly, robust management systems to ensure balanced water usage, to protect ecosystems, and to prevent risks and disasters. And Thirdly, dedicated, predictable, and sufficient financing aligned with these priorities at all levels. Water must remain a priority beyond 2030. Instead of simply being a technical issue, it is rather at the heart of development and at the heart of all of our lives. Switzerland is the co-president, together with Ghana, of the Water for Population pillar of the UN Water Conference 2026. We'll continue to invest in this issue, especially through Geneva, International Geneva. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Switzerland. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of UNIP.

Excellencies, Your Excellencies, colleagues and friends of water, I'm honored to make brief comments as a member of UN-Water and on behalf of the UN-Water family. UN-Water is the United Nations interagency coordination mechanism on water and sanitation, and it brings together 36 UN entities and 54 other international partners to deliver as one on water and sanitation challenges. Today, we are very proud and happy to launch the United Nations SDG 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation. The report is a collective contribution from across the UN system to support in-depth review of SDG 6 here at the High-Level Political Forum. The key messages are clear. After 10 years of SDG 6, countries are delivering measurable progress. Progress is accelerating, but remains too slow and uneven in certain places. Thirdly, SDG 6 has demonstrated the value of a dedicated global goal on water and sanitation for people and the planet. Fourth, SDG 6 has shaped countries' pathways to progress. It has enhanced United Nations system-wide coordination and delivery, and stakeholders have expressed strong support for a dedicated water goal beyond 2030. This afternoon, I invite you to join a special event in Conference Room 12 to discuss the report.

I thank the distinguished representative of UNIF. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of United Kingdom.

Thank you, Mr. President. The United Kingdom welcomes the Third SDG 6 Synthesis Report, which recognizes significant progress made over the past decade to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people. Despite this progress, the synthesis report provides a wake-up call for the international community. Over 2 billion people still lack access to safely managed water services, and more than 3 billion people are going without safely managed sanitation. These are not just numbers, Mr. President, these are people's lives. At London Climate Action Week 2 weeks ago, the Secretary-General made a landmark speech. The United Kingdom published our new International Climate Finance Strategy, setting out how the UK will mobilize public and private finance, accelerate climate resilience, and protect nature, including freshwater ecosystems. We need to ensure the UN Water Conference and Trio-Rio Convention COPs make 2026 a crucial year. The UK proposes 5 priorities. First, build political ambition for coordinated action. Second, accelerate policy reform and strengthen governance. Third, corporate stewardship and sustainable water management through global trade and supply chains. And fourth, water finance. And lastly, we must strengthen the evidence base and innovation for water security, for growth, resilience, and climate and nature. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of United Kingdom. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Finland.

Mr.

Chair, Your Excellencies, Finland aligns itself with the statement by the European Union, however with few remarks as Finland.

Water is critical enabler of the other SDGs, notably the gender equality, which simply cannot be achieved without universal and safe access water and sanitation.

Colleagues, Finland has been committed advocate of the global water agenda for decades.

Our engagement is guided by the simple idea: shared waters require shared rules, shared knowledge, and trust-based cooperation. At the 26th UN Conference, Finland co-chairs together with Zambia the Water for Cooperation Dialogue. We believe the water conference can accelerate progress through flagship initiatives that are concrete, highly visible, and recognized by the leadership. For us, success in the Water for Cooperation Dialogue means transforming water cooperation from a technical challenge into structured, rules-based, transboundary water cooperation grounded in science and inclusive governance.

This requires new accessions to the UN Water Conventions, as they provide the legal backbone for peaceful, equitable, and sustainable transboundary water cooperation. It is also fundamental to hear diverse voices and base decisions in science. It is unfortunately clear that we will not reach all the SDGs. Colleagues, together we simply must do more.

I thank the distinguished representative of Finland. Now I give the floor to I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Senegal, to be followed by Ethiopia, China, US, EHR, Saudi Arabia, Russian Federation.

President, less than 5 years away from the 2030 Agenda, it appears clearly that SDG 6, despite the efforts that have been made, cannot be reached if water continues to be considered an isolated sector. Water is in fact the very foundation of food security, of energy, economic growth, and climate resilience, as well as stability. In other words, it's at the basis of life. Accelerating SDG 6 is accelerating the entire 2030 Agenda, and that is why Senegal— Senegal, welcoming the decision of the African Union to proclaim 2026 the Year of Water Sustainability, continues its efforts in order to guarantee universal access to drinking water, access to sanitation by 2030, while reinforcing resilience of those resources in the light of climate change. It's from that point of view that Senegal has drawn up its Water Forward Compact for 2026-2030 in order to guarantee that more than, uh, uh, 85% of the population has access to drinking water as well as, uh, investments worth $2.5 billion. Conscious of the global challenges facing us, Senegal is fully committed to organizing the UN Conference on Water for 2026. My country will have the honor of co-chairing it with the United Arab Emirates, and it will certainly be a rendezvous for the implementation.

I thank the distinguished representative of Senegal. Now I give the floor to the distinguished Ambassador Abiy Ahmed, representative of Ethiopia.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to make the following contribution on this crucial agenda. For Ethiopia, water remains the foundation for our national development trajectory and climate resilience.

Access to clean water has reached nearly two-thirds of the population. Ethiopia's commitment to advancing water, sanitation, and hygiene is reflected in steady progress toward SDG 6. To remain on track toward meeting the SDG 6 targets, we will continue to scale up investments and partnerships in integrated water-related systems. Let me also highlight a flagship national riverside restoration initiative.

The Addis Ababa Riverside Project is reversing decades-old ecological degradation while transforming once polluted flood-prone riverbanks into citywide green spaces and economic hubs.

On the hindrances facing SDG 6, the challenge stems from a combination of factors, including prolonged underfunding, structural bottlenecks, and accelerating climate crisis.

Closing the vast financing gap will require sustained political will and effective partnerships capable of crowding in capital from across sectors and actors, including private capital. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ethiopia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

Xièxiè zhùxī. Thank you, Mr. President. In water governance, China has always followed a people-centered philosophy guided by President Xi Jinping's water governance approach of prioritizing water conservation, balancing spatial distribution, taking systematic measures, and leveraging both government and market forces, China has made significant progress in implementing SDG 6. Of the 12 indicators, 4 are close to being fully achieved and the rest are on a positive trajectory. By the end of 2025, in rural China, access to tap water had reached 96% and water supply security continued to improve. The proportion of national surface water with good or excellent water quality rose to 91.4%. Ecological condition of rivers continues to improve. Total national water use has remained relatively stable, and we have a river chief management system. We've made— we've carried out productive cooperation with neighboring countries and established cooperation mechanisms. In international cooperation, we have implemented more than 100 projects overseas and trained more than 600 people from partner countries. This year marks the 5th anniversary of President Xi's proposal of the Global Development Initiative. We are ready to work with all parties to continue the deepened exchanges and cooperation, make greater contribution to implementing the 2030 Agenda. Thank you.

of China. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of OSCHR.

Excellencies, as UN Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, one reflection and four concrete proposals. My reflection: the billions of impoverished people without guaranteed access to safe drinking water do not represent a business opportunity for anyone. They pose a democratic challenge that governments and multilateral institutions must confront. With regard to my proposals, there are four issues to which I believe greater attention must be paid. First, growing toxic discharges and the growing toxic contamination of drinking water caused by mining, agrochemicals and emerging contaminants such as the PFAs. Second, paying greater attention to the human right to sanitation, including hygiene, as well as to health and menstrual hygiene. Third, there is a need to focus specifically on dialogue with right holders who are fighting for their human rights, with women at the forefront, and who face criminalization as a result. In fact, they should be considered key allies in advancing SDG 6, as they are the ones with the greatest interest and commitment. And fourth, despite facing a difficult moment in which multilateralism represented by the UN is under attack and at risk, we must

I thank the distinguished representative of OSCE. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia.

Shukran sayyid al-Rais. Thank you, Mr.

Chair. We would like to thank the UN for convening this High-Level Political Forum. We reiterate our commitment to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 6 is one of the main pillars of our vision for sustainable development. We developed an integrated water system that is based on innovation, efficiency, enhancing water security through a national comprehensive plan reflected in the National Strategy for Water. This strategy has programs and initiatives and projects that led to increasing the coverage of water connectivity as well as the collection storing and recycling and reusing of water and wastewater. This includes also contingency plans, structural reforms, and establishing of agencies that had clear objectives for the total supply and the whole spectrum of the supply chain. The challenges exceed our capacities, but this requires uniting our efforts, and as such, we launched the International Institute for Water Research, and at the same time, we would like to host the 11th Forum on Water in 2027 in Riyadh. The achievement of Goal 6 requires sustainable and continued international collaboration. Thank you.

Representative of Saudi Arabia. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Russian Federation, to be followed by Major Group for Science and Technology, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Bangladesh.

Yeah. Thank you, President. The Russian Federation categorically rejects the accusations put forward by the Ukrainian delegation. Moving to substantive issues, we— with regard to today's topic, we note with satisfaction these considerable progress made in implementing SDG 6. The Russian Federation is working for sound use of water resources, introducing new modern technologies, allowing us to protect the environment instead of damaging it. As far as international cooperation goes, we believe it's very important to exchange information, hold— carry out joint research, and special attention to a comprehensive integrated approach toward management of surface and groundwater. At the same time, we are convinced that on international platforms, existing UN mechanisms, bilateral and regional cooperation instruments are sufficient for effective management of water resources. In closing, we'd like to emphasize that only a depoliticized constructive dialogue, commitment to the UN SDGs, Recognition of the sovereign rights of states to their natural resources and to freely choosing forms of cooperation on their use will allow humanity to have a maximally effective use and conservation of water resources. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Russian Federation. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of major group of science and technological community.

Distinguished Chair, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Scientific and Technological Community Major Group, coordinated by the International Science Council and the World Federation of Engineering Organisations. The world is not off track on SDG 6 because we lack knowledge. The real challenge is implementation through political commitment, strong institutions, capacity building, sustained investment, and more effective science policy interfaces. As someone from the Pacific, I know what it means to be surrounded by water, yet increasingly uncertain about fresh water. Rising seas increase saltwater contamination of groundwater, while extreme weather damages fragile water infrastructure. For Pacific communities like mine, water security cannot be separated from climate resilience, food systems, or cultural identity. That is why we must bring together the natural and social sciences, engineering, and Indigenous and local knowledge. Lasting solutions are not imported, they are co-produced with communities. Small Island Developing States should not be viewed only through the lens of vulnerability, they are also places of innovation where locally grounded knowledge and science are building resilience to some of the world's most complex water challenges. Achieving SDG 6 is not simply about managing water. We therefore call on Member States to make better use of scientific evidence and engineering expertise in shaping water policy.

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Major Group for Scientific and Technological Community. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan.

Shukran, Sayyeda Rais. Thank you, Minister. Mr. Chair, Your Excellencies, we are honored to take part in this important discussion at a time where we see acceleration of climate challenges, security and economic challenges, and at a time when the world believes that water is essential and that recognizing that is also witnessing a shifting point. This is a basis for water security, food security, building safety and security,— and translation of political will into a roadmap for investment. Sudan reiterates the importance of this transformation in how we view water, given the importance of water in the Nile River Basin and the effect of the conflicts, especially on that. And since this conflict in Sudan, there were repercussions and the internal displacement led to severe demands on water systems In this regard, we talk about three priorities. The first is to improve governance and national institutions for water. The second, the need to invest in improving the infrastructure. And third, to have finance and partnerships at the global and international level to enhance regional water security. Sudan reiterates its commitment to work on achieving Goal 6 and putting water in the heart of recovery efforts. So that we don't leave anyone behind. Thank you.

President of Sudan, now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso.

Our government has made it possible to provide significant access to water in 2026 due to investments that were made in water resources as well as strengthening governance in the area. In Burkina Faso, terrorist attacks, the climate vulnerability, demographic growth, forced displacements, as well as the growing need for financing has exerted pressure on water resources, including sanitation infrastructure. Given these challenges, my country has decided to strengthen the links between water in the area of education, health, industrialization, as well as climate resilience in order to improve at the same time food security, public health, education, as well as job creation. At the same time, my country continues reforms that are aimed at strengthening the mobilization of natural— of national resources, and also to further direct investment towards priority sectors where— such as water and sanitation, while remaining open to partnerships. Facing all these different difficult complexes, we cannot achieve these aims without concessional financing and adapted technological transfer, guaranteeing Access to drinking water and sanitation means investing in health, in food security, as well as security, generally speaking. Thank you.

Thank the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh, to be followed by UNECE, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, and Republic of Korea.

Can you hear me? Thank you, Chair, Excellencies, and distinguished guests. As you know, Bangladesh is a climate-vulnerable country, and we do have a long-lasting history to face the challenges of the climate changes. Historically, Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government always gave the priority on food security, water, education, health, and climate. In 1977, April 30th, our former President Jaya Rahman declared 19-point charter where he focused the needs of the grassroots people like education, food security, treatment, housing, and clothing, and gave a clear layout to solve all this problem.

Currently, our Prime Minister, the son of Shri President J.R.

Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khalidazia also giving a priority on canal excavation program. As you know, our government plan of digging canals of about 20,000 kilometers in the next 5 years to ensure the surface water for the irrigations as well as for drinking for getting the fresh drinking water for the grassroots peoples. Also, our government has a mega project which we call Tista Baras Project to ensure the—

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Bangladesh. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of UN Economic Commission for Europe.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At UNICEF, we know for experience that water cooperation delivers very tangible benefits to countries, including for climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and emergency response. As mentioned, my— in Namibia, on behalf of the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition and many more countries today, the Water Convention hosted by UNICEF offers a solid legal and institutional framework for all UN member states to use. In this regard, allow me to congratulate Ireland and announce today that they will be acceding to the convention in the coming months. Thank you for this. The convention offers indeed a platform to come together and advance water cooperation globally, from transboundary agreements to joint climate planning and data sharing, and much more. Furthermore, the Protocol on Water and Health, co-hosted by UNICEF and WHO Europe, supports countries in the region to implement integrated approaches connecting water, health, environment through target setting, peer exchange, and again, international cooperation. The upcoming 2026 and 2028 water conferences are offering us pivotal opportunities for impact. Finland and Zambia are launching an initiative called Towards 100 Parties to the Water Convention. Let me praise their ambition and urge all countries to join them. Thank you so much.

I thank the distinguished representative of UNECE. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Germany.

Thank you, Chair. Germany aligns itself with the EU statement and Welcome to the SDG 6 synthesis report. While the report shows improvement in implementing SDG 6, water-related challenges grow. We should therefore build on the achievements and accelerate our actions. On the national level, Germany has held a broad stakeholder dialogue to set up a cross-sectoral national water strategy. Now we are in the process of implementing it, a task that is also a challenge. Cross-sectoral cooperation is a learning process,— but a necessary and a beneficial one. Internationally, as one of the largest bilateral donors, Germany works with partners to strengthen institutions and mobilize investment for safe, inclusive, and climate-resilient water services to achieve the human rights to water and sanitation. We promote innovative partnerships such as the Urban Water Catalyst Initiative and work with our partners to improve water resource management, also in boundary contexts. Looking at the multilateral level, member states have not discussed water in a systematic way for decades. We cannot afford that. We, the member states, have to deliver now, and we can do so at the 2026 UN Water Conference. Many countries are calling for a regular intergovernmental dialogue on water to increase, to increase guidance and efficiency for water in the multilateral system. As a co-chair for the UN Water Conference, we support efforts to strengthen water governance and to better integrate water across sectors.

I thank the distinguished representative of Germany. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Turkey. Thank you, Mr.

Chair. Turkey views water as a vital foundation for sustainable development, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. Our draft development River Basin Management Plan and National Water Plan adopt an integrated and risk-informed approach to sustainable water. Türkiye's experience shows that effective SDG 6 implementation requires integrated water resource management, science-driven decision-making, and digital transformation. Through river basin management plans, drought and flood risk strategies, and integrated Water Resources Management, we have made concrete steps to reach our common goals on SDG 6. At the same time, we are advancing digital water governance through the HydroTURK platform, which enables data-driven analysis and supports digital modeling of river basins. Recognizing that water-related challenges transcend borders, Türkiye supports cooperation among riparian countries, exchange of knowledge and good practices based on the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization, taking into account the mutual rights and interests of both upstream and downstream countries to accelerate towards SDG 6. From Türkiye's perspective, one clear message emerged: accelerating SDG 6 requires integrated water resources water resource management improve.

I thank the distinguished representative of Türkiye. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belgium.

Thank you, Chair, Excellencies. Belgium underlines that water is a driver of progress across several SDGs and is intrinsically linked to health, food security, energy, and climate resilience. For Belgium, it is essential to recall that access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right. Affordable, safe, and sustainable water and sanitation services must remain at the heart of the implementation of SDG 6, with particular attention to people in vulnerable situations, as well as what— wastewater treatment and reuse. Belgium underlines the importance of an integrated nexus approach. Water, energy, food security, and ecosystems are closely interconnected, considering both water quantity and water quality. Belgium also advocates for strengthened transboundary cooperation data sharing, scientific cooperation, and operational arrangement are essential. Belgium further recalls for investments and innovative and accessible financing for water action to be designed in an inclusive manner with an explicit attention to gender equality. In this spirit, Belgium calls for water to be more strongly embedded in multilateral processes. The implementation of SDG 6 requires cooperation across all levels of government with all relevant stakeholders, including local and regional authorities. In this regard, Belgium reaffirms its support for the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. Belgium looks forward—

Thank the distinguished representative of Belgium. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Republic of Korea, to be followed by Palestine, Spain, Italy, and Tajikistan.

Thank you, Mr. President. The Republic of Korea has made continued policy efforts to ensure that everyone has access to safe water and sanitation. As a result, more than 99% of entire population now has access to public water supply services, and more than 95% is covered by sewerage services. Republic of Korea has also continued to strengthen its water management policies by improving the water quality of rivers and lakes through integrated water resource management and enhancing flood forecasting capabilities using AI. These achievements have been made possible through long-term public investment and science-based policymaking. We recognize that water challenges cannot be addressed by any country alone, and we hope that the 2020 TC UN Water Conference will serve as an important turning point in translating these shared challenges and commitments into concrete action. Republic of Korea will continue to work closely with member states States and wide range of stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of SDG 6 and contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Republic of Korea. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of State of Palestine.

Thank you, Mr. President. Water is a fundamental human right reaffirmed in the 2030 Agenda and is a pillar for the SDGs. However, 1 in 4 people globally lack access to safe drinking water due to geographic constraints, conflicts, and climate change. These barriers are further intensified where access to natural resources is systematically constrained, which is the reality in Palestine, where water is a matter of life and death. While SDG 6 calls for the improvement, for the improvement of water quality by reducing pollution, for paying special attention to the needs of women and girls, and for equitable access to safe drinking water for all, in the case of Palestine, UNEP has warned that the latest Israeli aggression on Gaza has inflicted an unprecedented environmental crisis with irreversible damage to its ecosystems. UNFPA has also warned that 40% of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza suffer from severe malnutrition and dehydration. And in the West Bank, Israel's exploitation of water resources denies millions of Palestinians the WHO standard of 100 liters per person per day. For nearly 60—

I thank the— I thank the distinguished representative of State of Palestine. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Spain.

Microphone, please. Thank you, President. Spain sees access to water and sanitation as two fundamental human rights essential for the fight against poverty and inequality. Our commitment to the implementation of SDG 6 is firm and resolute and has strengthened in recent years. Spain's renewed sustainable development strategy will build a water management model through water basins with integrated public policies. This approach has proven to be efficient in the planning, assigning, and protection of water resources, has been a point of reference within the framework of the UN Conference on Water for 2026, and with a view to which Spain will have the honor of co-chairing it along with China in the interactive dialogue of Water for Prosperity. Given the fact that agriculture is responsible for 80% of water consumption in Spain, the government is committed to modernizing irrigation. Internationally, we situate access to water and sanitation within a human rights-based approach. Within this framework, the Water Cooperation Fund of Spanish cooperation will implement these as universal rights and will pay particular attention to vulnerable populations, dispersed rural populations, and indigenous peoples. We have mobilized €1.643 billion in total investment. Thus strengthening the life of 4.6 million people. And the Spanish Fund for Sustainable Development will complement the Cooperation Fund for Water and Sanitation, combining concessional financing and donations.

Thank you. Thank you, Representative of Spain. Now I give the floor to the Additional Representative of Italy.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and its member states. Achieving SDG 6 requires an integrated, technically sound, regionally and globally coordinated approach, recognizing water as a strategic enabler of resilience, stability and sustainable development. This means addressing deeply connected technical and governance challenges, particularly in water-stressed regions such as the Mediterranean, increasingly affected by structural water scarcity and rising demand across different sectors, where water constraints directly affect food production, energy security, and socioeconomic equity. Italy strongly believes that achieving SDG 6 requires actions fostering co-benefits across the 2030 Agenda, addressing SDGs interlinkages through a source-to-sea approach. It calls for integrated approaches pursued through regional cooperation initiatives, including the upcoming Union for the Mediterranean Ministerial Meeting and the first Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum both to be held in Rome, as well as through global processes such as the UN Water Conference. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Italy. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Tajikistan.

Thank you, Chair. Water is the foundation of sustainable development. Development, while progress has been made, implementation of SDG 6 remains too slow and uneven. We must now shift from commitments to implementation through stronger partnerships, innovative financing, technology transfer, and integrated water resources management. Tajikistan believes that the Dushanbe Water Process provides an inclusive platform to translate global commitments into practical action through peer learning, partnerships and accountability. Looking beyond 2028, we also see value in developing a Dushanbe Water Framework as a long-term, action-oriented platform to sustain global water cooperation and implementation beyond the Water Action Decade. The 2026 and 2028 UN Water Conferences should serve as complementary milestones that mobilize investment, strengthen cooperation, and accelerate progress on SDG 6 and the entire 2030 Agenda. Tajikistan remains firmly committed to working with all member states and partners to accelerate the implementation of SDG 6 and strengthening global water cooperation. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Tajikistan. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Papua New Guinea.

Mr. President, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for our people is an important national priority and commitment. We are concerned with the high cost of economic and human lives for the country due to the current challenging water and sanitation situation. We recognize that much more coordinated and focused work, adequate financing and investment in water and sanitation infrastructure is needed. For SDG 6, Papua New Guinea this year operationalized its National Water Authority. This will consolidate mandates coordinate work and investments in safe and clean water and basic sanitation, and expand services to 80% of rural areas which are currently unbridged. This is our single most transformative reform to deliver on SDG 6. We are scaling up local-level WASH plans nationwide.

We are also strengthening means of implementation countrywide.

Thirdly, partnerships remain central to our strategy. We are strengthening constructive cooperation with our partners. Finally, we have recognized the critical importance of data and monitoring. This is needed to strengthen implementation countrywide. Finally, we count on the December 2026 UN Water Conference to further catalyze the efforts needed for SDG 6. Thank you. I thank the Permanent Representative of Papua New Guinea. Now I give the floor to the distinguished representative of PAAN, African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation. Mr.

President, our mission brings forward WaterHar, a pan-African water women-centered initiative that embodies the urgency, innovation, and solidarity required to achieve universal access to clean water, sanitation, and policies relating to solutions on water challenges and women. We must not put aside the challenges women face including unsafe water assets, in many regions encounter rape, abuse, and lose their life. Poor sanitation and hygiene challenges, health risks from contaminated water, climate-driven water scarcity, as well as hazards of unguarded water. Economic exclusion on water-related water crisis. Mr. President, our mission wish to call for urgent attention to consider Waterha, as an essential core gender response attention needed to provide solutions to water security on women and girls across the world. I thank you.

Thank you. And now we have heard the last speaker on the list in this session. Unfortunately, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, due to the high interest in the topic of the discussions and time constraint, it was not possible to hear from all those wishing to intervene. I apologize to the 12 speakers who were unable to take the floor. I now give the floor back to the moderator in order to hear brief reflections on the discussions and concluding remarks from the panelists. Mrs. States-Wells.

Thank you, Mr. President. We are giving 1 minute to each of our distinguished panelists, so Ms. Masoodi, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Dear member states, your input is my comment, so I have 3 reflections from the discussion. Number 1, we have made progress, but we need to accelerate. Number 2, water is more than one SDG target. It covers all. And the third, international cooperation remains essential and it must be inclusive. So we have to prove to show multilateralism delivered. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Mr.

Sirosh.

Thank you. I'm very encouraged by what I've heard from the various statements, but I just have to remind everyone that these encouraging statements have to be translated into strong public policies and public finance. Because many countries which have taken the floor are the countries I know where the access gap to water supply and sanitation is increasing, not decreasing. The countries which have taken the floor and have spoken are the countries where the open defecation is increasing, not decreasing. So clearly, we are not walking the talk. So my request is that let's get serious about the prioritization, of water and sanitation in your countries. Second, I fully endorse the point that was made before. Please do not do water supply projects without taking care of sanitation. Doing water supply without sanitation is only creating more problems. So no water supply without sanitation projects, as was observed by Liberia. And my third and last point is that, you know, many of you talk about favourable financing concessional financing, blended financing. You know, there are ways we can work and make it work for you, whether you are a very creditworthy utility or a government or a low creditworthy government. We can work with all range of countries. I suggest that if the countries which are really interested in trying to see how to work with private sector in management contract, performance-based contracts, etc., please invite the World Bank Group or the other MDBs in the country to have a conversation with you. They will mobilize the tools which are needed to really make it work. Thank you.

Thank you.

Professor Madani.

We'll be happy to work along with World Bank on your problems, so don't forget to invite UNU. Thank you all the member states for the intervention. I think you all— we all agree that the problem of water is a serious problem. But one thing that we can do differently is changing the discourse and turning water from the victim sector and impact sector into an opportunity sector, into an upstream sector where investments in water means investment in national security, in health equity, gender equality, and fulfillment of human rights. I think that's something that is missing from the discourse currently as we don't see water as the opportunity sector that brings a lot of other things. With the help of the scientists and the UN agencies, we can do a better job in mapping all the co-benefits and then branding water as the opportunity sector that we can all take advantage of in solving the problems of the world.

Thank you very much. Well, Mr. President, We will all have our own takeaways from this very rich discussion. I think we've been reminded that no SDG exists in isolation, and certainly SDG 6 is a super connector across the entire 2030 Agenda. It's fundamental to health, food security, poverty reduction, education, gender equality, jobs, energy, climate resilience, and economic opportunity. So progress on SDG 6 is progress on sustainable development and on peace and security. For me, a recurring theme has been that finance and infrastructure, while essential, are not enough. Achieving SDG 6 also requires effective institutions, sound laws and policies, good governance and inclusive participation, and a special focus on women. This resonates strongly with IDLO's experience, and we look forward to strengthen partnerships with all of you to achieve SDG 6 and the entire 2030 Agenda, working across sectors, societies, and borders, guided by science and grounded in the rule of law. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

I thank you. I thank the moderator, Ms. Baghel, for expertly guiding these interesting exchange of views. I also thank our excellent panelists for her insights, for her comprehensive presentations and also reflections. Similarly, I thank all the delegations, UN systems and stakeholders for your substantive and valuable contributions to this very important session. Distinguished delegates, we have thus completed our program of work for this meeting. The High-Level Political Forum will meet this afternoon at 3 PM in this chamber to continue with its program of work. Detailed information on the program is available on the HLPF website and on iGOV. Before concluding the meeting, I wish to inform the delegation that a dedicated mobile applications has been developed for the HLPF to facilitate access to key information. The app can be downloaded from the HLPF website, and QR code is also being circulated in the conference room. Thus, the meeting is adjourned.