UAE, Tajikistan and UN highlight global cooperation ahead of Dushanbe Water Conference

Abu Dhabi, 18 May 2026 -  The United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO) in the UAE, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan and in coordination with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a joint press briefing on the upcoming Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development, 2018–2028," to be held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan from 25–28 May 2026.

The briefing brought together broadcast and print media, diplomatic personnel, and UN specialized agency experts to discuss the objectives, thematic priorities, and expected outcomes of the Dushanbe Water Action Decade Conference, and its role in advancing Sustainable Development Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation and building momentum toward the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.

A Critical Step Toward Abu Dhabi 2026

H.E. Bérangère Boëll, UN Resident Coordinator for the UAE, highlighted the growing urgency of multilateral cooperation on water. She described the Dushanbe Conference as a critical milestone in sustaining momentum toward the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, and stressed the need to translate political commitments into accelerated implementation, stronger partnerships, and practical solutions. She underlined the UAE's active role, alongside Senegal and the wider UN system, in advancing an inclusive and action-oriented preparatory process.

H.E. Ashrafjon Gulov, Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to the UAE, welcomed the partnership with UNRCO and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and emphasized the importance of practical solutions and inclusive cooperation in placing water at the heart of the global agenda. He highlighted Tajikistan's more than two decades of leadership in international water diplomacy — driven by initiatives of President Emomali Rahmon — that led the UN General Assembly to declare a series of landmark milestones: the International Year of Fresh Water (2003), the Water for Life Decade (2005–2015), the International Year of Water Cooperation (2013), the current Water Action Decade (2018–2028), and the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation (2025).

Ambassador Gulov also recalled the 2023 UN Water Conference — co-hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands — as a defining moment for the global water agenda, and affirmed that the Dushanbe Water Process continues this tradition as an inclusive platform for dialogue, partnership, and action. He noted that discussions in Dushanbe will directly feed into the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.

Ms. Shaima Hussain Gargash, Director of the Department for Energy and Sustainability Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UAE Water Sherpa for the 2026 UN Water Conference, commended Tajikistan and the United Nations for their valuable contributions to strengthening international cooperation and sustaining global engagement on water-related issues. She highlighted the shared vision of the UAE and Tajikistan in placing water at the heart of global climate action and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6. Ms. Gargash further welcomed ongoing exchanges and cooperation on the water agenda and recognized the Dushanbe Water Conference as an important platform for dialogue, partnership, and the development of joint solutions in the lead-up to the 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal, which will take place in Abu Dhabi at the end of this year.

The second part of Press briefing mainly focused on presentation of information on the conceptual, organizational and protocol aspects of the Dushanbe Water Conference. 

The briefing concluded with a collective call to action: water challenges are no longer local — they are shared, and require shared solutions. Stronger multilateral cooperation, enhanced partnerships, and practical collective action are needed now more than ever.

About the Dushanbe Conference

The 4th Dushanbe Water Action Decade Conference will convene governments, the UN system, international financial institutions, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector. Over 150 official delegations from 68 UN Member States have confirmed attendance — including heads of government, ministers, four UN Under-Secretaries-General, and leaders of major international organizations — with more than 2,500 delegates expected in total.

The conference programme comprises:

• Six thematic sessions: Water for People, Water for Prosperity, Water for Planet, Water for Cooperation, Water in Multilateral Processes, and Investments for Water
• Three special panels covering the final review of the Water Action Decade, themes for the 2028 UN Water Conference, and the future of water in the post-2030 agenda
• Eleven constituency forums bringing together women, youth, parliamentarians, scientists, the private sector, and regional stakeholders

The conference is expected to deliver three substantive outcomes:

• A Dushanbe Declaration — setting forward-looking priorities and strategic recommendations for international water cooperation
• A Co-Chairs' Summary — capturing key messages, partnerships, and initiatives from the discussions
• A Dushanbe Contribution — a substantive input to the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi

For more information on the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, visit https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2026