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The UAE concluded a week of high-level water-focused engagements in New York during the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly. According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on 30 September, the delegation was led by Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, and the meetings focused on the final stages of preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.
A high-level session at UN Headquarters, “Water as a Strategic Imperative”, brought together the African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Executive Secretary of UNESCWA and the World Bank’s Managing Director of Operations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also organised an event on water investment in fragile and humanitarian settings.
Balalaa said the challenge is less about innovation than implementation, that governments alone cannot meet the investment needed for resilient water systems, and that commercial banks, institutional investors, development finance institutions and the private sector need to treat water as an investment priority. The delegation held sessions on the AI–water–energy nexus, including the water and energy infrastructure that powers data centres.
The announcement lists no new financing commitments or projects. WAM said registration is open for the Oasis, the conference’s participant space.