2026 UN Water Conference to Accelerate Global Efforts on Water Security
Children in Sapangbato, Angeles City try to pump water from a shallow well. Indigenous people residing in upland areas of the city continue to face water scarcity, especially during the dry season. (Photo By ERLIN M. DUE)
The United Nations General Assembly will convene the 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Senegal, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 8 to 10 December 2026.
Access to water and sanitation, recognized as a fundamental human right, is foundational to all aspects of human development and remains a powerful catalyst for healthier communities, stronger economies and more inclusive societies.
Since the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted in 2015, the world has made significant progress on advancing water and sanitation goals, with billions of people gaining access to safer drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services , and water use efficiency seeing major improvements. Still, today, an estimated 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water, while 3.4 billion people do not have access to safely managed sanitation services.
At the same time, population growth, rising water demand, pollution, climate change, environmental degradation and growing competition over water resources are increasing pressure on communities and economies around the world.
The Conference—formally titled the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to Accelerate the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All—will bring together world leaders, policymakers, practitioners, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders to strengthen international cooperation, mobilize investments and scale innovative solutions to help build a more water-secure future.
Majority of the water utilities in the Philippines still rely on groundwater. Issues on water supply and water quality continue to rise in highly urbanized cities as the national government try to address the crisis. (Photo by ERLIN M. DUE)
The need for action is urgent. The past decade has demonstrated what is possible when the world invests in water and sanitation. Yet without significant progress on SDG 6, the achievement of many other Sustainable Development Goals—including poverty eradication, improved health outcomes, food security and women’s empowerment—will remain out of reach.
Six interactive dialogues at the Conference — Water for People, Water for Prosperity, Water for Planet, Water for Cooperation, Water in Multilateral Processes and Investments in Water — will explore practical solutions and opportunities for collaboration. The Conference will also feature high-level side events showcasing partnerships, innovation and commitments aimed at accelerating progress on clean water and sanitation.
The 2026 UN Water Conference will build on the momentum of the 2023 UN Water Conference, which galvanized global commitments through the Water Action Agenda.
(Press Release downloaded September 7, 2026 from https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2026-08/OVERVIEW_2026%20UN%20Water%20Conference)
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