The 2026 United Nations Water Conference, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from 8 to 10 December 2026, is structured to move beyond discussion and into accelerated, collective action toward achieving SDG 6. Co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal, the conference will serve as a critical milestone within the International Decade for Action, "Water for Sustainable Development" (2018-2028).
In the wake of the UN 2023 Water Conference and the resulting Water Action Agenda, GWOPA is scaling its efforts to ensure that water and sanitation operators are recognized as "frontline institutions" and "local-level champions" for realizing these global goals. GWOPA’s Water Action Commitment #SDGAction50781 aims to “Localize SDG 6 - Transforming Access to Water by Strengthened Capacity of Operators Closest to Water Provision.” The initiative pledges to accelerate GWOPA’s approach by engaging at least 100 public water and sanitation service providers across the globe to sign up for a set of criteria for peer exchange and support.