Delivered By: HE Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative

Foreign Minister Muhriddin, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen:

On behalf of Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Ambassador Hikmat for organizing this 2025 World Day for Glaciers & World Water Day Celebration which we are pleased to co-host, and to also thank all this morning’s distinguished speakers for their energizing remarks.

It is a real pleasure and privilege to serve as co-hosts of the 2026 UN Water Conference.

We envision the conference as a pivotal opportunity to galvanize global action on SDG 6 and forge a new path towards a water-resilient future for all.

Our journey to the 2026 Water Conference is off to a strong start.

Earlier this month, we convened the Organizational Session where we heard from Member States, as well as other stakeholders, valuable recommendations on the themes for the six interactive dialogues.

We thank all participants for their contributions which will lay the groundwork for an impactful, action-oriented conference.

Both Senegal and the UAE are fully committed to an inclusive preparatory process, driven by the principles of solidarity and cooperation.

This is why since day one we have been engaging stakeholders from governments, International Organizations, civil society and the private sector, and we are committed to continue doing so in the coming months.

Because we know that the key to unlocking real progress on SDG 6 is inclusive action, by ensuring that all are welcome and that all are heard throughout the process.

Looking ahead, the next stop on our journey to the 2026 Water Conference will be the one-day meeting convened by the President of the General Assembly, His Excellency Philémon Yang, on 9 July.

At that meeting, we will finalize and adopt the themes of the six interactive dialogues.

Soon after, we will be appointing the co-chairs for each of the interactive dialogues.

It is our goal to have the co-chairs integrated into the planning process as early as possible so we can hit the ground running and sustain our momentum all the way up to the high-level meeting in Dakar.

So today, and in the months ahead, let us mobilize to convert our commitments into action so that we can truly move the needle on the global water agenda and safeguard our planet for future generations. 

Thank you.