Questions regarding how to follow-up on the UN 2023 Water Conference were high on the agenda for the 38th UN-Water Meeting. The UN 2023 Water Conference, which convened in March 2023, concluded with a call to appoint a Special Envoy on Water and the submission of over 700 voluntary commitments, which were compiled into the “Water Action Agenda.”

During the first meeting of UN-Water’s Members and Partners since the UN 2023 Water Conference took place, participants discussed ways to analyze and foster further engagement through the voluntary commitments, which now include 832 initiatives. Participants also discussed whether and how a UN system-wide strategy on water and sanitation could be developed, noting that such a strategy would assist a Special Envoy on water in their work.  

These discussions took place in “World Café” styled small groups. Small group discussions also addressed how to mainstream water across UN agencies and sectors, and what gaps and additional actors should be engaged in the global water agenda.

Participants also heard reports on progress on the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework, including the Capacity Development Initiative, the Taskforce on Country Level Engagement, Regional Level coordination, the Integrated Monitoring Initiative for SDG 6, the Roadmap on human rights to water and sanitation, and operationalizing the Innovation Accelerator. There were also updates on the UN World Water Development Report 2024, a joint publication with UN Women, activities of the UN-Water Expert Group on Water and Climate Change, among others.

The 38th UN-Water Meeting convened in Stockholm, Sweden, from 18-19 August 2023, at the headquarters of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). 

UN-Water plays a coordinating role within the UN to ensure the UN family “delivers as one” in response to water-related challenges. Its Members, Partners and observers gather twice a year to carry out the mandate of informing policies, monitoring and reporting, and inspiring action on water and sanitation issues. [ENB coverage of the 38th Meeting of UN-Water]