About
Speakers at the UN-Water meeting stressed the need to identify priorities and preferred outcomes from the 2026 UN Water Conference and emphasized the opportunity for the 2026 and 2028 conferences to transform the global water agenda for 2030 and beyond.
Final report
Summary report 30 September – 1 October 2025
All coverage
Participants at the 42nd UN-Water Meeting focused on the continued implementation of UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation, preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, and the evolving UN programming landscape.
The first-ever UN System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation, which was launched in July 2024, placed UN-Water in the lead for developing a collaborative implementation plan. Discussions during the 42nd UN-Water Meeting were organized around the entry points identified in the Strategy. Discussions included consideration of the:
- concept note for the 2026 SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) Synthesis Report, including the approach taken for stakeholder consultations;
- next steps for the SDG 6 Capacity Development Initiative;
- mainstreaming water within the Rio Conventions; and
- support for the Secretary-General of the 2026 UN Water Conference and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in the development of concept papers for the 2026 UN Water Conference interactive dialogues.
On the second morning of the meeting, a UN Member States Briefing and Dialogue provided updates for governments on preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference and the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference.
UN-Water plays a coordinating role within the UN, to ensure the UN family “delivers as one” in response to water-related challenges. The overarching focus of UN-Water’s 36 Members and 49 Partners is to support UN Member States to sustainably manage water and sanitation.
The open session of the 42nd UN-Water Meeting took place from 30 September-2 October 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, and on-line.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writer for this meeting is Lynn Wagner, Ph.D. The Digital Editor is Matthew TenBruggencate.
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27th UN-Water Meeting
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28th UN-Water Meeting
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29th UN-Water Meeting
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30th UN-Water Meeting
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31st UN-Water Meeting
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32nd UN-Water Meeting
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35th UN-Water Meeting
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38th UN-Water Meeting
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39th UN-Water Meeting
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40th UN-Water Meeting
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41st UN-Water Meeting
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42nd UN-Water Meeting
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43rd UN-Water Meeting
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