An Online Stakeholder Consultation held on 21 January 2026 brought together voices from across the globe to advance discussions on Investments for Water, as part of the official stakeholder process for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
The Consultation was convened by the Global Water Partnership (Lead Facilitator), in partnership with Water.org (Co-Facilitator) and the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) (Rapporteur), in collaboration with UN DESA and South Africa (Co-Chair – Water Investments, 2026 UN Water Conference), and Senegal (Co-host of the 2026 UN Water Conference).
Participation and leadership
The consultation brought together around 85 participants from across the globe – working on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); agriculture and food systems; energy; disaster risk reduction; climate change and nature-based solutions; finance and investment; governance and public institutions; technology and data innovation; public health and humanitarian response; peace and transboundary water cooperation; workforce development; urban, municipal and local development; and women and youth.
As a co-host of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, Senegal, represented by Mr. Mohamed C.B.C. Diatta, underscored the central role of water in advancing the 2030 Agenda and highlighted the importance of accelerating progress on SDG 6 through inclusive and coordinated preparations.
As Co-Chair of the Interactive Dialogue 6: Investments for Water, South Africa, represented by Ms. Nchedi Moripe, highlighted the opportunity for the Conference to elevate water investments within high-level political discussions and to strengthen links between investment, development outcomes and long-term resilience.
Opening the online consultation, Mr. Alex Simalabwi, CEO of GWPO and Executive Secretary of GWP, emphasised the importance of inclusive, partner-driven dialogue to unlock and scale water investments and to ensure that stakeholder perspectives meaningfully inform the Conference preparatory process.
Topics discussed during the online consultation
With water increasingly recognised as a foundation for economic growth, public health, food security, climate resilience and social stability, discussions focused on how scaled and better-targeted water investments could accelerate progress on SDG 6 and contribute to wider sustainable development outcomes.
In a lively and thought-provoking discussion, participants underscored the need for more robust and value-reflective approaches to water pricing and financing, while cautioning against overly simplistic comparisons with other services. The discussion emphasised that tariff reform must be grounded in affordability, equity and strong public governance, and complemented by targeted subsidies, concessional finance and predictable public funding to support universal access and sustainable service delivery.
Participants further stressed that water should be recognised not only as an investment sector, but as a critical enabler of economic activity, social stability and human dignity. The dialogue also highlighted the importance of investing in water as a pathway to peace – both within countries and in transboundary contexts – by strengthening cooperation, reducing conflict risks and supporting resilient and inclusive water systems.
Reflecting on the discussion, Mr Rich Thorsten (Water.org), Co-Facilitator of the consultation, emphasised that while capital exists – at local, meso, macro levels – unlocking water investments requires stronger project preparation, improved risk allocation, and enabling policy and governance frameworks.
From online consultation to Dakar, Senegal
Stakeholder inputs gathered through the online consultation will be incorporated into a Think Piece on Investments for Water, a draft of which was shared with participants in advance. The Think Piece is intended to help inform the Interactive Dialogue 6: Investments for Water and support the broader preparatory process towards the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.
These inputs will be carried forward to a One-Day Stakeholder Consultation Meeting in Dakar, on 25 January 2026, convened by UN DESA and the co-hosts of the Conference, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, in partnership with the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW) and the German WASH Network.
The outcomes of the one-day consultation will contribute to the High-Level UN 2026 Water Conference Preparatory Meeting on 26–27 January 2026, co-led by the Republic of Senegal and the United Arab Emirates.