During its participation in the Cairo Water Week, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) called for enhanced international cooperation and expedited investments in water solutions. This initiative aims to support stability, foster shared prosperity, and ensure the sustainability of our planet, especially as preparations intensify for the upcoming United Nations Water Conference in 2026.
Water as a Catalyst for Peace and Prosperity
The opening ceremony of the ninth edition of the Cairo Water Week, themed “Water as a Catalyst for Peace and Shared Prosperity and a Sustainable Planet,” was graced by His Excellency Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt, along with various ministers and senior officials.
In his address, His Excellency Abdullah Al-Alao, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, urged governments, investors, and corporations to place water at the core of economic planning and investment decisions. He emphasised the need to support promising innovations with the necessary funding and partnerships to scale up their implementation.
He stated, “Water must be central to economic and developmental strategies, not only as a challenge to address but also as an opportunity to stimulate innovation and investment for mutual prosperity. We must shift from commitments to action, from innovation to application, and from awareness of water-related risks to investing in enhancing water resilience.”
Al-Alao highlighted the UAE’s efforts in achieving water security, noting that the country’s approach remains rooted in a legacy of efficiency, collaboration, and innovation passed down through generations.
He stressed the importance of developing fundable projects and enhancing partnerships among governments, development finance institutions, and the private sector to broaden the application of solutions.
Engaging Dialogues and Collaborative Initiatives
Among the key events at Cairo Water Week was a high-level session co-organised by the UAE, Senegal, and Egypt titled “The Final Step to Abu Dhabi: From Dialogue to Action in Preparation for the 2026 UN Water Conference.” This session was followed by technical discussions with co-chairs of interactive dialogues.
These sessions brought together ministers, government officials, leaders from international organisations, and development finance institutions to review progress in the six interactive dialogues for the conference, advance new initiatives, and identify opportunities to accelerate implementation before and after the conference.
The UAE acknowledged Egypt’s contributions to the preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference, including its co-chairmanship with Japan of the interactive dialogue “Water for a Sustainable Planet.” The UAE expressed gratitude to all co-chairs, member states, and stakeholders for their efforts throughout this process.
The six dialogues will serve to connect countries and stakeholders in identifying practical solutions, enhancing partnerships, mobilising funding, and providing the necessary technology and capacities to accelerate progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6: clean water and sanitation for all.
On the sidelines of Cairo Water Week, Al-Alao also held bilateral meetings to further discussions related to the 2026 UN Water Conference, ensuring it becomes a pivotal moment in the global water agenda.
These meetings included discussions with His Excellency Dr. Hani Sweilam, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation in Egypt; His Excellency Raed Abu Al-Saud, Minister of Water and Irrigation in Jordan; Ms. Maika van Ginneken, Special Envoy for Water from the Kingdom of Netherlands; and Mr. Antti Rottarvaara, Special Envoy for Water from the Republic of Finland.
His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed the ministers and heads of delegations participating in the ninth Cairo Water Week at the Ittihadiya Palace, attended by Dr. Hani Sweilam and Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
During this meeting, Abdullah Al-Alao underscored the necessity of prioritising water issues at the highest political levels, emphasising that the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi represents a crucial opportunity for world leaders to reinforce their commitment to international water cooperation.
Throughout the sessions at Cairo Water Week, the UAE also invited companies, investors, innovators, researchers, youth, and all stakeholders to participate in the “Oasis,” an open space that runs parallel to the UN conference programme.
The “Oasis” will showcase a diverse programme and exhibitions presenting profound experiences and country pavilions, and will offer solutions to water challenges, facilitating connections between innovators and potential partners and investors, while supporting the transition of promising ideas into application and expansion stages.
For registration and more information regarding the 2026 UN Water Conference and the “Oasis,” please visit: www.unwaterconferenceuae.com/ar.