"Scientific Progress" Hosts High-Level Dialogue on "A Safe Water Future for All" - Sarmad

The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences hosted a high-level dialogue on “A Secure Water Future for All” on Wednesday, with the participation of Dr. Sabih Al-Makhzoum, Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy, as well as ambassadors and representatives from the United Nations and international financial institutions. The event aimed to build momentum toward the 2026 UN Water Conference, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates in December in partnership with Senegal.

Opening the dialogue, Minister Al-Makhzoum stated that “enhancing regional water interconnection represents a key pathway to supporting supply security and improving countries’ readiness to handle emergencies.” He emphasized the importance of continuing work on joint and bilateral projects and completing technical studies to strengthen integration and sustainability in the water sector.

He added that “challenges posed by conflicts, wars, and humanitarian crises necessitate efforts to provide sustainable, resilient, and safe water sources, ensuring the continuity of basic supplies for populations while enhancing the resilience of water infrastructure and expanding international cooperation to find practical and sustainable solutions for affected communities.”

For her part, Ghada Taher, Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, said in a similar address that “this dialogue is not an end in itself, but an important milestone on the road to the 2026 UN Water Conference, offering an opportunity to translate discussions into concrete commitments, partnerships, and investments.”

She noted that “Kuwait provides a significant perspective for this global dialogue, having contributed for decades to supporting and financing water infrastructure projects and developmental solutions internationally.”

She clarified that the dialogue comes at a pivotal stage in global efforts to accelerate progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6, “Clean Water and Sanitation for All,” pointing out that approximately 2.1 billion people worldwide still lack access to safely managed drinking water services. Meanwhile, rising demand, climate change, pollution, and environmental degradation are placing increasing pressure on water resources.

For his part, Dr. Matar Al-Nuaimi, the UAE Ambassador to Kuwait, stated in his speech that “the path toward the 2026 UN Water Conference is based on translating aspirations into practical steps,” explaining that this dialogue constitutes an important contribution to this path by bringing together partners from various sectors to explore ways to leverage innovation, technology, and financing, and to enhance cooperation in delivering solutions at the required scale.

He reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to promoting practical water solutions through innovation, international cooperation, and partnerships that combine expertise and investments, thereby supporting progress toward achieving SDG 6 and enhancing prosperity and resilience.

The dialogue was attended by a number of high-level government officials and diplomatic representatives from Switzerland, Japan, and France, alongside representatives and experts from the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the University of Kuwait, and other entities.

The dialogue aims to link global water priorities with tangible action by strengthening partnerships, identifying investment and innovation opportunities, and encouraging practical commitments that can contribute to the work of the 2026 UN Water Conference in December.

Participants discussed the six pillars that will form the framework for interactive dialogues during the December conference: “Water for People,” “Water for Prosperity,” “Water for the Planet,” “Water for Cooperation,” “Water in Multilateral Processes,” and “Investments for Water.”