Delivered By: Ms. Fatema Yousuf, Counsellor

Mr. Chair,

I would like to thank the co-organizers for spotlighting this important topic during Protection of Civilians Week, as well as the briefers for their presentations today.

In conflict settings around the globe, water is increasingly becoming a weapon of war, a casualty of conflict, and a driver of instability and displacement.

When armed conflict destroys water infrastructure or disrupts water access, the consequences for both civilians and the environment are catastrophic.

So, when we protect water sources in conflict settings, we protect civilians.

But achieving this demands that we move beyond simply acknowledging the issue of water to actively integrating its security into our humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts.

To that end, the United Arab Emirates would like to share three recommendations:

First, we must harness the potential of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence.

From developing early warning systems to detecting contaminated water or waterborne diseases, these advancements offer us powerful tools for managing and protecting water in challenging environments.

Second, we need to incorporate climate resilience and ecosystem restoration to address environmental damage caused by conflict.

By restoring damaged ecosystems, we can prevent future water crises and bolster long-term stability.

And finally, we must leverage the critical role of women as agents of change in climate action.

Water insecurity, exacerbated by armed conflict, disproportionately impacts women and girls, however they continue to be excluded from relevant decision-making processes around water management.

As a co-host of the 2026 UN Water Conference with our friends from Senegal, the UAE is committed to raising ambition and generating action on the global water agenda.  

While we prepare for an ambitious and action-oriented conference next year, we will continue to support the UN’s system-wide strategy on water and sanitation, as well as call for the implementation of Security Council resolutions that highlight and affirm the importance of protecting civilian infrastructure.

Mr. Chair,

We need to ensure that water becomes not a casualty of war, but a foundation for peace.

Thank you.