Welcome to the United Nations
The 2026 United Nations Water Conference, co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal, will convene in the UAE from 2-4 December 2026.
Special accreditation for Non-governmental Organizations and other Stakeholders (including Indigenous Peoples) is now open until 21 March 2025.
Background
The high-level 2026 United Nations Water Conference to Accelerate the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all will be held in the United Arab Emirates from 2–4 December 2026, co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates.
The Conference will consider challenges to achieving SDG 6 as well as opportunities and innovative ways to support its implementation and accelerate progress. Participants will exchange views, develop initiatives, and identify actions to advance SDG 6, including cooperation at all relevant levels to enhance means of implementation and partnerships.
The Conference will also highlight gender perspectives and empowerment of women and girls in ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation for all.
The Conference will result in a summary of the proceedings of the Conference, to be prepared by the Presidents of the Conference, as its outcome document. The summary will also serve as an input to the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
Additionally, the Conference will offer an opportunity to share best practices in accelerating SDG implementation—including those included in the Water Action Agenda—and will invite Member States and other stakeholders to announce voluntary commitments in support of the Conference objectives. Members States decided that the 2026 Conference should build on the discussions held during the UN 2023 Water Conference.
The 2026 UN Water Conference will be comprised of plenary sessions and six interactive dialogues (A/RES/78/327). The Conference secretariat, UN-DESA, will prepare a background note on potential themes of the interactive dialogues, based on the inputs of Member States, the UN system, and a wide range of other stakeholders. The themes of the interactive dialogues will be adopted by the UN General Assembly at a one-day meeting to be convened by the President of the General Assembly on 9 July 2025.
More information about the UN 2026 Water Conference can be found here.
Which stakeholders can participate in the 2026 UN Water Conference?
Participation of representatives from non-governmental organizations, major groups and other relevant stakeholders at the 2026 UN Water Conference is guided by A/RES/78/327.
Organizations that fall under the following categories will be able to request registration to attend the 2026 UN Water Conference and its preparatory meeting.
- Non-governmental organizations and major groups identified in Agenda 21 and other stakeholders in consultative status with ECOSOC. You can check if your organization has consultative status with ECOSOC here
- Organizations that were accredited to previous United Nations’ conferences as per A/RES/78/327
Participation of stakeholders including Indigenous Peoples
According to resolution A/RES/78/327, 4 (g) the Conference shall, "Involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together Governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community,
Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the private sector, philanthropic organizations and other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as support further action to accelerate the implementation of, Sustainable Development Goal 6 and the water-related goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda".
Paragraph 22 invites, "Invites other relevant stakeholders, including organizations and bodies of the United Nations, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies and non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, persons with disabilities, the private sector and philanthropic organizations, whose work is relevant to the Conference, accredited in accordance with the provisions set forth in annex II to the present resolution, to participate as observers in the Conference and its preparatory meeting".
Rule 65 at Annex III, provides that, "Non-governmental organizations accredited to participate in the Conference may designate representatives to attend public meetings of the Conference and the Main Committee as observers". Further, Paragraph 23.3 of Agenda 21 provides that “Any policies, definitions or rules affecting access to and participation by non-governmental organizations in the work of United Nations institutions or agencies associated with the implementation of Agenda 21 must apply equally to all major groups”. Agenda 21 defines "major groups as comprising women, children and youth, Indigenous People, non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and their trade unions, business and industry, the scientific and technological community and farmers. Therefore, based on Agenda 21, rule 65 shall apply equally to non-governmental organizations and other major groups".
Special Accreditation Process for Stakeholders including Indigenous Peoples
As guided by resolution A/RES/78/327 other relevant non-governmental organizations, including civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector and philanthropic organizations whose work is relevant to the Conference and are not in consultative status with ECOSOC or accredited to the previous United Nations Conferences mentioned above, must receive special accreditation in order to participate in the Conference and the preparatory meeting as observers.
Interested organizations can apply by 21 March 2025 using this link.
This round of special accreditation will be conducted on the Civil Society Platform, one of the latest initiatives from the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) designed to streamline engagement processes for civil society organizations.
If your organization does not yet have an account, follow the user guides below to get started:
- Quick Start on the Civil Society Platform
- Account Creation Guide and FAQs
- Request Accreditation Guide
Applications will be reviewed on the basis of their background and involvement in the implementation and follow up of SDG 6. The President of the General Assembly will draw up the list of recommended organizations and submit it to Member States for their consideration on a non-objection basis. Approved organizations will be notified by the Secretariat after Member States review.
Once an organization or entity receives special accreditation, it will be able to register representatives to participate at the 2026 UN Water Conference and its preparatory meeting.
For additional information about the 2026 UN Water Conference, please check https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2026
