The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has officially adopted six key themes for the upcoming UN 2026 Water Conference. This decision was made during the 84th plenary of the 79th UNGA session held on 9 July 2025, following broad consultations with Member States and stakeholders. The session was opened by UNGA President Philemon Yang, who introduced draft decision A/79/L.101 for consideration.
The themes were jointly submitted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and are structured to guide interactive dialogues during the 2026 conference. They include: Water for People, focusing on the human rights to water and sanitation, especially for vulnerable populations; Water for Prosperity, addressing the value of water, the water-energy-food nexus, sustainable water resource management, and economic development; Water for Planet, encompassing issues such as climate change, biodiversity, desertification, resilience, and disaster risk reduction.
Additional themes include Water for Cooperation, which promotes transboundary and international cooperation, including scientific and inclusive governance; Water in Multilateral Processes, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 6 and broader global water initiatives; and Investments for Water, emphasizing the importance of financing, technology, innovation, and capacity building.
Following the adoption of these themes, Senegal’s Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, H.E. Mr. Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, announced that Senegal would host a high-level preparatory meeting in Dakar on 26–27 January 2026 to further support the upcoming global conference.
