UNITAR hosted the 42nd UN-Water Meeting in Geneva

On the second day of the 42nd UN-Water Meeting, a Member States Briefing and Dialogue Session was co-hosted by UN-Water Chair, UNITAR Executive Director, and UNSG Special Envoy on Water, where Executive Heads of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) delivered their opening remarks.

During this session, UNITAR’s Executive Director, UN Assistant Secretary-General Ms Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, noted that the primary obstacle to progress on SDG 6 is “fragmented delivery systems,” highlighting four operational levers for acceleration: governance coherence, predictable finance, actionable data, and resilient infrastructure.

UNECE Executive Secretary, Ms Tatiana Molcean, emphasised the crucial role of regional cooperation mechanisms, particularly in transboundary water management. WMO’s Secretary-General, Prof Celeste Saulo, introduced WMO’s most recent report on the state of global water resources, noting that only one third of river basins worldwide were within what was considered normal conditions last year. This indicates that the majority of people on the planet experienced either excessive water through devastating floods or insufficient water due to drought and scarcity.

Key strategic discussions followed, providing updates on high-level intergovernmental events related to water, including the 2026 UN Water Conference. Co-hosts of the Conference, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, represented by their ambassadors to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, provided updates on preparations, covering stakeholder consultations, preparatory meetings, and the identification of main themes for the conference roadmap.

The outcomes of the 42nd UN-Water Meeting provide a clear strategic direction and collaborative blueprint for the UN system to confront the global water crisis, ensuring that water serves as the foundation for peace, resilience, and sustainable development. As the 42nd UN-Water Meeting host, UNITAR’s Global Water Academy remains committed to strengthening global water governance and accelerating the achievement of SDG 6 through capacity-building.