Summary report, 30 September – 1 October 2025

Discussions during the 42nd UN-Water Meeting focused on how UN-Water Members and Partners are engaging with the entry points identified in the first ever UN System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation.

Participants also discussed preparations for the December 2026 UN Water Conference, which will be a pivotal moment to elevate the global water agenda and its interconnections with the global development, peace, and climate agendas. Speakers emphasized the need to identify priorities and preferred outcomes from the 2026 conference and one scheduled for 2028, and called for using them as strategically as possible. Many speakers also noted the challenges posed by the UN80 reform initiative and current geopolitical uncertainties, while indicating their commitment to engage in the upcoming dialogues and events with the aim of transforming the water agenda for 2030 and beyond. 

The meeting’s agenda was structured around the five entry points of the UN System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation, which was launched in July 2024: 

• On Lead and Inspire Collective Action, speakers highlighted that joint messaging among UN-Water Members and Partners contributed to record-breaking visibility for World Water Day 2025. Participants also discussed activities aimed at making a case for including water issues in the post-2030 development framework.  
• On Country-level Engagement, joint programming efforts and seed funding are underway in several countries. A Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 (clean water and sanitation) Capacity Development Initiative is also underway.  
• On Mainstreaming Water into Intergovernmental Processes, a number of water-related activities are planned during the November 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 30), and a repository of intergovernmental water-related language is being developed.  
• On Accelerating Progress, UN-Water is preparing a 2026 SDG 6 Synthesis Report that will be presented to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF).  
• And on Accounting for Progress through Joint Review and Learning, UN-Water Members and Partners committed to supporting the development of concept papers for the six interactive dialogues that will take place during the 2026 UN Water Conference and to mobilizing stakeholders for deeper engagement. 

On the second morning of the meeting, representatives from UN Member States joined participants at the 42nd UN-Water meeting for a briefing on preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference and activities underway to move the global water agenda forward. Several speakers highlighted that UN-Water provides an example of the collaboration called for under the UN80 Initiative, while others noted challenges related to the uncertainty that this UN reform process brings to the discussion of future activities. Speakers also emphasized priorities and upcoming preparatory opportunities related to the 2026 UN Water Conference, which will be co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal.

Representatives from France and Switzerland announced their interest in co-chairing an interactive dialogue during the Conference, and participants were informed Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, Japan, and Cambodia have also expressed interest in co-chairing an interactive dialogue.

The 42nd UN-Water Meeting gathered representatives from its 36 Members and 52 Partners. Eighty-four participants registered to attend the 30 September-1 October 2025 meeting, while 44 individuals registered to participate online. The meeting took place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and was hosted by the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). 

A Brief History of UN-Water

While over 30 UN organizations carry out water and sanitation programmes, no single UN entity is dedicated exclusively to these issues. In 1977, the UN’s Inter-Secretariat Group for Water Resources began coordinating UN activities on water. Subsequently, in 2003, the UN Administrative Coordination Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources was transformed into UN-Water and endorsed by the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB). UN-Water plays a coordinating role within the UN to ensure the UN family “delivers as one” in response to water-related challenges.

UN-Water Meetings bring together Members and Partners twice a year to carry out the mandate of informing policies, monitoring and reporting, and inspiring action on water and sanitation issues. Participants include representatives of the UN Secretariat and UN agencies, funds, programmes and other entities, multilateral environmental agreements, civil society organizations, and other organizations. Representatives from UN Member States also participate in UN-Water meetings as observers.

Initiatives: The overarching focus of UN-Water’s Members and Partners is to support UN Member States to sustainably manage water and sanitation.  

Efforts to inspire action include coordination of the annual observance of World Water Day on 22 March and World Toilet Day on 19 November. UN-Water releases the annual United Nations World Water Development Report (UNWWDR) on World Water Day. 

Efforts to inform policies focus on placing water and sanitation issues on the agenda of key UN agreements, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its SDGs. SDG 6 calls for the international community to strive to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.  

Monitoring and reporting efforts seek to provide coherent and reliable data and information on key water trends and management issues. The Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6 (IMI-SDG 6) builds on and expands the experiences and lessons learned during implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. 

UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution A/RES/77/334, which was adopted in September 2023, called for global conferences on water and sanitation to take place in 2026 and 2028. The resolution also requested the UN Secretary-General to present a UN system-wide water and sanitation strategy before September 2024. UN-Water was charged with developing a collaborative implementation plan for the strategy.

Governance Structure: The 36 Members of UN-Water comprise UN agencies, programmes, and funds with a water-related mandate. The 52 Partners comprise international organizations, professional unions, associations, and other civil society groups that are actively involved in water-related issues and that have the capacity and willingness to contribute to the work of UN-Water and meet UN-Water’s partnership criteria.

UN-Water Senior Programme Managers (SPMs) represent UN-Water Members. They provide the overall governance and strategic direction and constitute the highest operational decision-making body of UN-Water.

UN-Water is supported in its work by its Technical Advisory Unit (TAU). 

The UN-Water Chair is chosen from among the UN Executive Heads after consultations within the CEB. The current Chair is Alvaro Lario, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The UN-Water Vice-Chair is elected among the UN-Water SPMs. The UN-Water Secretary is a senior staff member of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).

UN-Water Report 

Alvaro Lario, UN-Water Chair and President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), opened the 42nd UN-Water Meeting on 30 September 2025, noting that the talks are taking place at a time when this coordination mechanism is more important than ever. He highlighted that the UN Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative calls for reforming the UN by making it more networked to better respond to current challenges and recalled that the UN System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation relies on such a networked system. Lario also pointed to the agenda item on the 2026 UN Water Conference and the opportunity the Conference will provide for working collectively to deliver change and transform lives at scale.

Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, Executive Director, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), as host of the meeting, welcomed participants to Geneva. She noted that UN-Water exists so the UN system can act as one, highlighting its work to maximize the Members’ and Partners’ collective strength to support Member States. She called attention to UNITAR’s water academy.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Water Retno Marsudi recalled she had been appointed as a result of the 2023 UN Water Conference. She called for hope, solutions, and empowerment narratives and said they can help with leadership across the UN system and within countries as well as by demonstrating that financing and investment in water is not a burden.

Adoption of the Agenda

Federico Properzi, UN-Water, introduced the agenda, which was adopted without amendment.

Activities on UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation Entry Point 1: Lead and inspire collective action on water and sanitation

Unify and amplify UN voices on water and sanitation: Bruce Gordon, UN-Water Vice-Chair, highlighted opportunities that UN-Water, its Members and Partners are taking to jointly streamline messaging. He said joint UN advocacy efforts elevate political prioritization and reported that joint efforts have included shared platforms, tools, and calendars. He pointed to record-breaking visibility for World Water Day 2025, which reached 63.5 billion social media accounts, and said upcoming activities will include a new “Waterway Dispatch” newsletter from the Water Envoy.

Water Beyond 2030: Joakim Harlin, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), introduced this agenda item, which he said is a forward-looking exercise that aims to make the case for water beyond 2030 and to advocate for including it in the post-2030 development framework. He noted that SDG 6 will be discussed at the July 2026 session of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), and UN-Water is preparing a synthesis report on SDG 6 progress over the past ten years to inform that discussion. Fiona Gore, World Health Organization (WHO), reported that consultations will be held on two themes: how the goal has been useful for driving implementation and expectations for the future and beyond 2030.

During the discussion, participants suggested: emphasizing the objective of “leave no one behind”; including voices of children and youth in the consultations; engaging in the regional sustainable development forums that will prepare for the HLPF; and linking the messaging on this issue with the country-level task force, to ensure these messages reach the country level. Joakim Harlin clarified that consultations will focus on what is lacking in SDG 6 and where there are gaps.

The SPMs approved the concept note for the 2026 SDG 6 Synthesis Report, including the approach taken for the stakeholder consultations, and requested UN-Water Members and Partners to support the dissemination of the public consultation and contribute to the development of the 2026 Synthesis Report.

Update on World Toilet Day 2025: Cecilia Scharp, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) noted that World Toilet Day 2025 will be marked on 19 November with the theme, “We always need toilets.” She said an event to mark the day will take place in New York, focused on the need to develop new approaches to reduce methane gas emissions from sanitation. She noted events will also take place in Geneva and Buenos Aires. 

Update on World Water Day 2026 and on the UN World Water Development Report 2026: The Task Force on World Water Day 2026 reported that the 2026 event will focus on Water and Gender, showing that safe water is a human right and driver of equality. The theme for the day is: “Where water flows, equality grows.” A high-level event to mark the day will take place in New York at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Miguel De Franca Doria, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), reported that the UN World Water Development Report (UN WWDR) 2026 will focus on Water and Gender and will be launched during the CSW. He anticipated a final draft would be circulated in early December for SPM endorsement. He also reported that preparations have begun on the 2027 WWDR, which will focus on Water and Health.

The SPMs welcomed the 2026 World Water Day Task Force’s proposal to host the pivot event and launch of the UN WWDR report on 19 March 2026 at UN Headquarters in New York.

Activities on UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation entry point 2: Engage better for countries by leveraging whole-of-United Nations system support and by mobilizing stakeholders and partnerships for water and sanitation

Collaborate for joint country programming: Mary Matthews, UN Development Programme (UNDP), reported that UN-Water’s efforts to work with the Resident Coordinator (RCs) system and UN country teams aim to reinforce the RCs and UN country teams. She reviewed recent activities, including: the development of a brief for the RC system on embedding water across the SDGs; reviewing programming to identify where water is mentioned and what funding is needed; providing seed funds for Costa Rica, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Peru, and Philippines; and developing case studies on Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, and Rwanda.  

During the discussion, participants discussed the need for good communications materials and materials that showcase solutions. They also highlighted the value of demonstrating how this work leads to implementation at the country level.

Next Steps on the SDG 6 Capacity Development Initiative (CDI): Abou Amani, UNESCO, reported that the CDI is demand driven and is working with several pilot countries. For each country, he said the CDI starts with a high-level national stakeholder workshop to identify needs, followed by the selection of the main area for capacity development. A national road map has been developed for the Gambia, and similar processes will follow in Jordan, Madagascar, and Cuba. Among other activities, a special issue on Water Futures: Governance, Equity and Diplomacy in a Changing Climate will be published by December 2026.

Following the discussion, the SPMs acknowledged the CDI progress update and welcomed the proposed implementation timeline of the workplan. They invited Members and Partners to contribute resources and expertise to scale up CDI activities to maximize country-level impact, and requested the CDI to provide a progress update at the 43rd UN-Water Meeting.

Activities on UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation Entry Point 2: Align United Nations system support for the integration of water and sanitation issues across sectors and mainstreaming into intergovernmental processes

Mainstream water within UN Rio Conventions at all levels: Nicolas Franke, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), discussed efforts to integrate water into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and said a pamphlet on water for climate will be distributed to Member States. He said a mapping exercise of the Rio Conventions’ mandates is being undertaken to see where UN-Water can support those Conventions. For the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 30), UN-Water’s side event proposal was accepted. He also noted lack of capacity to engage with the workstreams related to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

During the discussion, participants highlighted the importance of engaging with the current UNFCCC process to identify indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). One speaker announced that a workshop the following day would discuss the indicators and a future UN-Water role in monitoring them. Speakers also reported Mongolia will host the UNCCD COP in 2026.

Repository of intergovernmental language on water: Joakim Harlin, UNEP, updated participants on progress with building a repository of resolutions and decisions related to water. He said resolutions from the UN Environment Assembly related to water have been extracted, and other intergovernmental bodies have been requested to submit relevant resolutions. He added that the data will need to be structured by themes and dates to make it useful, and said the project aims to ensure decisions can build on what has been adopted before. He also noted that the repository could inform discussions on the post-2030 development agenda.

Several speakers noted related experiences and said they would share lessons.

Country-level synergy with the Green Climate Fund: Bapon Fakhruddin, Green Climate Fund (GCF), outlined options for building a strong collaboration between UN-Water and the GCF through: using the UN System-wide Strategy as a framework for coordinated climate investments in water and sanitation; fast-tracking financing modalities for water-related climate risks under a UN-Water-GCF collaboration, including through the SDG 6 Capacity Development Initiative; and developing innovative mechanisms to harness climate finance and private investment for water projects aligned with SDG 6.

During the discussion, UN-Water Members thanked the GCF for their clear ideas. Some noted challenges with staffing and inquired if there is funding to support the preparation of proposals. Others noted opportunities to unlock funding to work with countries on developing their NDCs. In response to questions, Fakhruddin said the GCF has a new readiness model and suggested creating a coordination group through a GCF-accredited partner. UN-Water Vice-Chair Gordon proposed convening a follow-up discussion to review the options more closely.

Activities on UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation Entry Point 4: Accelerate progress and transformational change by unifying United Nations system support through the five SDG 6 global accelerators: financing, data and information, capacity development, innovation, and governance

Improve availability and use of evidence and learning to accelerate progress: Will Reidhead, UN-Water, discussed plans for conducting the fourth data drive and preparation of the SDG 6 Synthesis Report, which will be presented at the July 2026 meeting of the HLPF. He said it will include a global data analysis and positive messages, noting it will shift away from focusing on how far off track we are to focusing on the value of SDG 6 to countries.

Reidhead also highlighted five new activities related to the “data and information” accelerator: improving the standardization, generation and uptake of citizen science data on water and sanitation; advancing Sustainability Metrics and Monitoring for Water Quantity, Quality and WASH; advancing monitoring of groundwater resources; enhancing monitoring of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in humanitarian crisis areas; and enhancing the measurement of climate resilience in water and sanitation systems.

During the discussion, participants noted the links between good national data and availability of funding. Reidhead noted work with the country-level task force, including on the country case studies.

Update on the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework innovation accelerator: Mary Matthews, UNDP, reported on the activities the Task Force on Innovation is undertaking, including the drafting of an Analytical Brief on Innovation in Water Policy and mapping the water innovation ecosystem. She said the group is also looking into water and artificial intelligence (AI), is aiming to conclude as much work as possible this year, and will develop a proposal for moving forward.

During the discussion, the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) reported that it published the 2025 IAHR Global Water Innovation Report in June, which shares the main priorities for water innovation as identified by national water associations, including priorities for research and development. The Global Water Partnership (GWP) said the Africa Water Investment Summit 2025, which took place in Cape Town from 13-15 August 2025, sought to mobilize financial commitments toward African water projects and identified a project pipeline.

The SPMs took note of the progress report of the Task Force on Innovation, and requested the Task Force to: provide a progress update; present an update on the draft Analytical Brief on Innovation in Water Policy; and present to the 43rd UN-Water Meeting a proposal for continuation of the innovation accelerator of the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework during the 2026-2027 period.

Activities on UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation entry point 5: Account for progress through joint review and learning

UN-Water inputs to 2026 UN Water Conference Interactive Dialogue Concept Papers: During a lengthy discussion on preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, which will take place in December in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), UN-Water Members and Partners offered to support the process of preparing concept notes for the six interactive dialogues, namely:

• Water for People (human rights to water and sanitation);
• Water for Prosperity (integrated water resource management, water-energy-food nexus, water efficiency); 
• Water for Planet (climate, biodiversity, desertification, environment, source-to-sea); 
• Water for Cooperation (transboundary cooperation, scientific cooperation, and inclusive governance); 
• Water in Multilateral Processes (SDG 6, 2030 Agenda); and 
• Investments for Water (financing, innovation, capacity building).

Speakers discussed the timeline for the preparation of the concept notes, with some saying the proposed first draft deadline of June/July 2026 would not be early enough to support the co-chairs and their preparations for each dialogue. Speakers discussed the possibility of using the January 2026 preparatory meeting in Dakar, which Senegal as co-host of the December conference is organizing, as an opportunity to convene initial discussions on the papers. A number of other events during 2026 were also discussed as opportunities to advance discussions on the themes, including regional events in preparation for the July HLPF and the HLPF itself.

Speakers noted the need to bring representatives from finance and the private sector to the Conference, and highlighted the importance of engaging youth, Indigenous Knowledge, science, and gender perspectives. Issues such as groundwater and desalination were emphasized as themes to incorporate into the concept notes.

Many emphasized the importance of identifying what outcomes are expected from the 2026 UN Water Conference. Some called for lessons from the commitments that were announced during the 2023 UN Water Conference. Many speakers referred to the uncertainty and changed context that current geopolitics and the UN reform process introduce for the 2026 event, compared with what was viewed as possible when the 2023 UN Water Conference took place.

The SPMs decided to request the UN-Water Members and Partners to support the Secretary-General of the Conference and UN DESA in the development of the concept papers for the 2026 UN Water Conference interactive dialogues.

Mobilize to elevate the ambition of UN Water Conferences: Discussions on this agenda item focused on how to create a political process through the six thematic dialogues and to increase multistakeholder engagement in them. Many speakers noted that stakeholders are not sure how to engage in the discussion. They also emphasized the need to incorporate science and evidence to back up the conference discussions.

Lesha Witmer, Women for Water Partnership and Water Aid, noted that there are nine Major Groups, plus other stakeholder groups, through which civil society organizes itself. Witmer said steps to build civil society engagement start with identifying which of the groups are interested in water issues, followed by identifying a representative from each group to help with communication and capacity building. She also noted civil society groups’ uncertainty about how many side events and parallel events would take place during the December 2026 Conference.

Speakers suggested identifying how to use the 2026 and 2028 Conferences as strategically as possible, noting the need to clarify what we want from the conferences. Others emphasized the importance of science and engaging youth and local and Indigenous knowledge.

Decision on date and venue of next UN-Water Meeting

Federico Properzi, UN-Water Chief Technical Advisor, introduced the proposed decision on the date and location for the 42nd UN-Water meeting, noting IFAD’s offer to host the meeting at its headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 24-25 March 2026. Participants approved this decision.

Member States Briefing and Dialogue

On Wednesday morning, 1 October 2025, UN-Water Members and Partners met with representatives from UN Member States to discuss preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, as well as the work of UN-Water. Alvaro Lario, UN-Water Chair, opened the briefing and highlighted ways in which UN-Water is contributing to the UN80 objective of greater integration, noting for example that the implementation strategy for the UN System-wide Strategy on Water and Sanitation is bringing together the expertise of the UN system and its partners. He also highlighted UN-Water’s role in coordinating input to the 2026 Conference.

Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, Executive Director, UNITAR, noted the value of UN-Water’s efforts to provide joint country support and strengthened data, and to reduce fragmentation. She noted UNITAR is ready to convert collective strategies into country capabilities.

Special Envoy on Water Retno Marsudi reported stakeholders hope the 2026 Conference will have representation at the highest level, will focus on actions and ways to address financial gaps, and will initiate a discussion on the future of the global water agenda post-2030.

Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), suggested the 2026 Conference should call for closing the water data information gap and ensuring water data, science, and services are accessible to all.

Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary, UNECE, recalled that, while 153 countries share water with other countries, only 43 have arrangements among neighboring countries that fully cover those shared waters. She said high level commitment is needed to address transboundary issues and noted that the 2026 UN Water Conference will consider this theme.

Madhushree Chatterjee, UN-Water Secretary, provided an update on the outcome of the 9 July meeting of the UN General Assembly, which selected themes for the six interactive dialogues that will take place during the 2026 UN Water Conference. She reported Member States have been invited to submit expressions of interest in co-chairing the dialogues, and said Egypt, Indonesia, and Pakistan have submitted official responses, while Japan and Cambodia have informally expressed interest. During the briefing with Member States, France and Switzerland also expressed an interest in co-chairing a dialogue.

Ambassador Jamal Jama Al Musharakh, Permanent Representative of the UAE Mission in Geneva, encouraged Member States to submit their offers to co-chair the dialogues by 17 October. He noted the unique role of international Geneva in driving forward the global water agenda, highlighted that water is essential for peace and sustainable development, and said his country is committed to finding solutions to water scarcity. 

Mohamed Cisse Diatta, Senegal Sherpa for the 2026 UN Water Conference, invited participants to the high-level meeting in Dakar on 26-27 January 2026, noting it will launch the preparations for the conference.  

Sonja Koeppel, UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), reported on UN-Water’s plans during COP 30, including a thematic day on water, several side events on water, and the first High-Level Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action, among other activities. She noted the importance of engaging with the formal negotiation process, particularly for the GGA indicators.

During the discussion with Member States, government representatives highlighted connections between the UN Water Conferences in 2023, 2026, 2028, and the inclusion of water issues in the post-2030 development agenda.

Tajikistan recalled it will host the 2028 UN Water Conference and announced it will convene a meeting in May 2026 as a preparatory meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference, as well as to start conversations on the 2028 Conference and the inclusion of the water agenda in the post-2030 development framework.

Saudi Arabia, as host of the World Water Forum in 2027, stressed that the path from the 2023 UN Water Conference to the events in 2026, 2027, and 2028 is a single journey.

France stressed the importance of collaboration on water, including on transboundary issues. Germany noted the challenges UN-Water is facing, given the ongoing UN80 reform initiative. Switzerland noted that the 2023 UN Water Conference shifted water from a sectoral issue to a key element of peace and called for bold dialogues on water governance at the 2026 conference. The Netherlands noted that, while this is not an easy time for multilateral cooperation, the 9 July meeting to select the themes for the dialogues demonstrated positive cooperation around water.

Pakistan said water should be treated as a bridge and not as a source of conflict and tension. Egypt noted the significance of leveraging Geneva-based organizations in preparation for the Conferences and asked how collaboration between the Geneva and New York-based organizations can be enhanced. Indonesia noted its support for the Special Envoy on Water. Slovenia emphasized the value of UN engagement on water. Sweden welcomed the UN80 initiative and looked forward to “a bold, well-funded proposal that focuses on its core mandate.”

UN-Water Chair Lario recalled that UN-Water is an interagency mechanism that supports implementation on the ground through RCs and implementation of the UN System-wide Strategy. He said its Members and Partners participate on top of their individual agency roles and strive to bring the UN system together.

UN-Water Members updated Member States on activities they are engaged in, including the UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation and the Priority Collaborative Actions they discussed on the first day of the meeting. In regard to the UN SDG 6 Synthesis Report 2026, Joakim Harlin, UNEP, expressed hope that “agenda 2045 will have a strong water goal” and said UN-Water is evaluating the value of having a global goal on this issue.

Closing

In closing the briefing and open part of the 42nd UN-Water meeting, Chair Lario thanked participants for engaging in the discussions and highlighted that momentum is being created. He highlighted that water is being integrated across the climate, biodiversity, and disaster agendas. He noted that Member States’ leadership will shape the vision for water to 2030 and beyond, and closed the open session at 12:20 pm CEST.