The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a memorandum of understanding with the World Economic Forum to enhance institutional cooperation in support of preparations for the United Nations Water Conference 2026, which will be hosted in the United Arab Emirates later this year.
The signing took place in the presence of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, and His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and member of the World Economic Forum’s Board of Leaders, alongside Borg Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, and Larry Fink, Chairman of BlackRock.
The memorandum was signed by His Excellency Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. This agreement aims to bolster cooperation efforts in preparation for the UN Water Conference 2026, which the UAE will host at the end of this year.
The memorandum, signed at the Davos Conference Center, is a significant step in strengthening the relationship between the UAE and the World Economic Forum. It underscores the commitment of both parties to enhance collaboration between the public and private sectors and to mobilize efforts across various areas to achieve the conference’s objectives, focusing particularly on accelerating progress towards water-related initiatives in alignment with the sixth Sustainable Development Goal.
His Excellency Al Nuaimi stated that this partnership aims to expedite the transition from commitments to actions, allowing collaboration with the World Economic Forum to promote close cooperation between public and private sectors for impactful outcomes and investment mobilization during and after the conference.
Sebastian Bukobza, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, emphasized that water is a fundamental pillar for economic resilience, climate stability, and human well-being. He noted that this partnership with the UAE will contribute to a comprehensive approach to water management, engaging leadership from multiple sectors, accelerating investments, and creating pathways for scaling solutions.
The shared goal is to ensure that the UN Water Conference 2026 makes a tangible impact in critical areas.
The World Economic Forum provides a neutral, non-profit global platform that offers insights to foster constructive relationships among leaders across politics, business, education, civil society, and more.
Both the UAE and the World Economic Forum recognize that water is an essential element for productivity across major economic sectors, with 60% of the global GDP depending on sufficient quantity and quality of water resources. Currently, around 90% of water investments are funded by the public sector, while contributions from the private sector remain limited, representing only a small fraction of the necessary investments in this field.
This partnership seeks to enhance collaboration between the public and private sectors throughout the preparations for the UN Water Conference 2026, leveraging business expertise and innovation within the private sector to broaden advancements in water technologies and mobilize investments across various domains.
The UN Water Conference 2026 is poised to be a pivotal global event, focusing on practical implementation to convert aspirations into tangible impacts and ensuring sustainable water access for all. By bringing together key stakeholders from business, finance, civil society, philanthropic organizations, and government sectors along with the World Economic Forum’s multi-sector networks, this partnership will help establish a unified agenda for achieving the conference objectives.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Economic Forum will initiate the memorandum’s implementation by organizing a high-level session titled: “Activating Water Financing and Investment: Promoting Public-Private Cooperation Ahead of the UN Water Conference 2026.” This session will be one among several discussions scheduled for 2026, contributing to identifying pathways for executing the memorandum and strategies for scaling water sector financing and technological solutions through public-private partnerships, which will support the goal of sustainable water access for all.
The signing of this memorandum marks a crucial first step in preparing for the UN Water Conference 2026. The insights and outcomes from these discussions will directly inform the high-level preparatory meeting planned for January 26-27, 2026, in Dakar, Senegal, and will help formulate the UAE’s roadmap for hosting the UN Water Conference at the end of 2026.