As part of the One Planet Summit initiative, the Governments of France, Kazakhstan, and Saudi Arabia, with the World Bank Group, organized a summit to drive the international cooperation agenda on water. The One Water Summit sought to contribute to the ongoing UN discussions to enhance global water governance, transform water planning and management, and accelerate action on SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), while acting as an incubator for solutions in preparation for the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Convening in the margins of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP 16), the One Water Summit took place on 3 December 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

An introductory video highlighted that:

  • 70% of the world’s drinkable water is found in glaciers, half of which will disappear over the course of the century;
  • One out of four people has no access to drinking water while demand is expected to increase 50% by 2030; and
  • Water is linked to all aspects of the current environmental crisis, and nine out of ten natural disasters have to do with water.

The Summit, the video noted, aims to integrate water in all policies as a crucial driver of economic and human development, and respond to the need to review finance for water and sanitation, international cooperation, and multilateral governance. It stressed that the Summit’s ambition is to serve as a platform for dialogue and commitment to raise the issue of water to the highest political level.

The Co-Chairs of the Summit delivered opening remarks.

Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman said the Summit reflects joint work to confront water-related challenges, including desertification and the shortage of drinking water, which threaten human lives and societies. He outlined Saudi Arabia’s efforts on sustainable management of water resources, including USD 6 billion to support more than 200 sustainable water projects in more than 60 developing countries.

Bin Salman reminded participants that Saudi Arabia will host the 11th World Water Forum in 2027 and highlighted the recent establishment of the Global Water Organization to comprehensively address water challenges through inclusive solutions.

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that while water has been “a secondary challenge,” nine out of ten climate adaptation measures rely on water. He traced water’s linkages to combating desertification and underscored that water challenges cannot be solved at the national level as “borders don’t work well with water basins.”

Emphasizing that every USD invested in water availability saves USD 4 in healthcare expenditure, Macron highlighted France’s science-based national plan to reduce consumption by 10% by 2030. Among things needed to drive water action globally, he identified:

  • Science, and knowledge and information sharing for data-based decision making;
  • Development and transfer of technology to avoid excessive freshwater use;
  • Addressing plastic pollution; and
  • Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) roadmaps for vulnerable and conflict-affected areas.

Macron welcomed the Water Finance Coalition, comprising more than 60 development banks, and looked forward to a new water coalition of countries, financiers, and companies that is open to all to provide solutions, financing, and technologies.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said water security is a cornerstone of sustainable development, underpinning every aspect of human well-being, economic progress, and environmental preservation. Noting that more than 2 billion people worldwide lack water access, he called for a unified global response to water challenges, with policies focusing on key components of water security, including universal access to safe water and sanitation, resource protection, disaster resilience, and international cooperation.

Tokayev said strengthening water storage capacity, enhancing glacier preservation, and adopting innovative irrigation systems are critical to stabilizing water availability. He announced Kazakhstan’s proposal to establish a partnership to unite global research centers to study and protect glaciers in support of policy development and water management strategies.

Describing water as “a moral imperative,” Tokayev announced Kazakhstan’s joining the One Water Vision coalition, which brings together stakeholders to address the water crisis and promote integrated water resource management (IWRM). He also said Kazakhstan will host a regional climate conference in 2026.

President of the World Bank Group (WBG) Ajay Banga recognized that today, water is under greater pressure than ever before, with complex interconnected crises threatening human well-being and the environment. He called for a comprehensive response to deliver:

  • Water for people, by ensuring access to clean water and sanitation;
  • Water for food, as agriculture accounts for 70% of global water use; and
  • Water for the planet, noting that climate change exacerbates water challenges.

Banga said despite the scale of the water challenge, responses have been fragmented, with misalignment observed across municipal, river basin, and national policies. He indicated the World Bank’s recently announced Global Water Strategy aims to break these silos and address water holistically by: working to expand assess to water and sanitation while building resilient water systems that can withstand impacts of climate change; optimizing water use in agriculture and reducing waste; and building climate-resilient water systems. “This isn’t just an investment in water,” he stressed. “It is an investment in our collective futures.”

Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water Johan Rockström delivered a keynote address, which explored the relationship between green and blue water and demonstrated how water management in one region can impact rainfall patterns elsewhere, making water “a truly global concern.”

Rockström pointed to scientific evidence indicating that “we’re pushing the entire hydrological cycle out of balance.” He underscored that while focus has been on the blue branch of the hydrological cycle, the green branch is responsible for two-thirds of the global hydrological cycle, which drives photosynthesis, biodiversity, and rainfed food production, pointing to risks undermining this.

Rockström called attention to five mission areas the Commission translated economics of water into:

  • Launch a new revolution in food systems;
  • Conserve and restore natural habitats critical to protect green water;
  • Establish a circular water economy;
  • Enable a clean-energy and artificial intelligence (AI)-rich era with much lower water intensity; and
  • Ensure that no child dies from unsafe water by 2030.

He said these mission areas are interconnected through a number of enablers and called for hard policies on environmental boundaries, equity, and efficiency.

A segment on successful models of transboundary cooperation and their transformative potential was moderated by UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean.

Molcean emphasized that we can’t solve the water crisis without recognizing that “water knows no boundaries.” Noting that more than 3 billion people rely on transboundary water, she highlighted the UN Water Convention as an example of how to work together and support countries in their efforts to cooperate.

National Leader of the Turkmen People Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow shared Turkmenistan’s experience with water cooperation, which he said is essential for ensuring sustainability on the planet. Guaranteeing fair access to water is not only a political and legal matter but also a moral one, he stated, one of responsibility to current and future generations.

Urging for unconditional commitment to rational use and fair distribution of shared water resources, Berdimuhamedow outlined the principles he said “addressing the entire spectrum of water issues in Central Asia should be based on”:

  • Adherence to international law;
  • Mutual consideration of interests; and
  • Involvement of international organizations, primarily the UN.

Among his country’s national priorities, he highlighted: providing the population with clean drinking water through improved infrastructure and rational use through water-saving technologies and measures to minimize water losses; and cooperation on the Aral Sea in regional and global fora. He said an effective and sustainable water resource management system requires strengthening regional cooperation, intensifying scientific research, and introducing new technologies.

Youth representatives from France and Kazakhstan said young people make up 30% of the world’s population and have the responsibility to build a future where youth have access to water without discrimination. They announced the creation of national youth parliaments on water in France and Kazakhstan and called for decision makers’ support to scale the young generation’s ideas and dynamic solutions. They further called on leaders to:

  • Establish and sustain funding mechanisms to support youth-led water initiatives;
  • Empower youth participation in all decision-making processes; and
  • Foster international cooperation for young people.

A video about the Global Youth Movement for Water highlighted projects in Cameroon, Indonesia, and Jamaica, showing that with youth engagement, cooperation can be achieved.

Molcean then introduced members of the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition, created in the run-up to the 2023 UN Water Conference, which brings together 17 countries and 20 international organizations, financial and academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In preparation for the One Water Summit, she said the Coalition decided to launch a knowledge platform to serve as a one-stop shop to support transboundary water cooperation.

Global Environment Facility (GEF) CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez underlined the need to have conversations at the highest political level to make sure water is adequately reflected in climate change, biodiversity, and land degradation processes. Noting that without transboundary water cooperation, we can’t achieve the SDGs, he announced the GEF’s USD 5 million investment in the Freshwater Challenge and highlighted the GEF’s recent investment of USD 10.6 billion to strengthen the management of the Zambezi river.

Participants watched a video about the launch of the One Water Vision initiative, which highlighted the need for reliable data access and collaboration on best practices in water sciences, Earth observation, AI, and data management. Spearheaded by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), and partners, the initiative will work on three priorities:

  • Strengthen operational information systems supporting hydrological services through cooperation programs;
  • Co-develop reliable datasets through Earth observations of pilot sites worldwide; and
  • Develop novel approaches to enhance scientific and technical cooperation to allow better monitoring of agricultural droughts.

INBO Secretary-General Eric Tardieu said the One Water Vision initiative brings together more than 20 research institutions, including space agenciesand universities from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia, and invited new research partners to join the coalition. The Initiative, he said, brings together data producers and data users, builds bridges for quicker emergence of useful services based on new satellite technologies, and facilitates the alignment of science and implementation approaches for quantitative and qualitative water resource management and long-term planning. Tardieu highlighted data sharing as a key trigger of cooperation and trust building among water users.

A segment on the challenges of water resource preservation was moderated by Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands Musonda Mumba.

Underscoring that water is life and a cornerstone of food security and environmental sustainability, Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said rivers, glaciers, and aquifers are increasingly vulnerable to climate change. He emphasized the importance of transboundary cooperation for regional stability and progress, highlighting the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan as an example.

Sharif outlined Pakistan’s initiative to address flood risks and address drought through ecosystem-based adaptation, as well as through, among other steps:

  • Water cooperation and collaboration;
  • Knowledge, technology, and expertise exchange;
  • Adequate funding for climate-resilient infrastructure;
  • A framework for transparency, data sharing, and regional cooperation;
  • Scaled research and development and institutional strengthening; and
  • Strong political will and global leadership.

In a video address, World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain outlined WFP’s efforts to restore soil fertility, capture rainwater, and support sustainable groundwater extraction in the Sahel that helped rehabilitate 300,000 hectares of land and over 4,000 water systems. She mentioned plans to invest USD 1.5 billion over the next five years to assist 5 million people with resilience-building programs for the most vulnerable communities.

In a panel discussion, IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak cautioned that looking at water as a commodity is too simplistic as healthy freshwater systems are key to mitigating floods and droughts and storing carbon. Identifying freshwater ecosystems as a common thread between the Rio Conventions and the Convention on Wetlands, she highlighted three opportunities presented by the Freshwater Challenge:

  • Restore 3,000 kilometers of degraded rivers;
  • Restore 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands by 2030; and
  • Conserve intact freshwater ecosystems.

Zulfiya Suleimenova, Kazakhstan, said her country wanted to make this Summit “a summit of hope.” Among Kazakhstan’s initiatives, she mentioned:

  • Ratification of the UNECE Protocol on Water and Health, chairmanship of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, and cooperation with the French Development Agency (AFD) on improving water efficiency in agriculture;
  • Joining the Freshwater Challenge;
  • Successful completion of the first phase of preserving the Aral Sea;
  • Collaboration with the private sector to preserve Lake Balkhash; and
  • Work towards a partnership to strengthen research on water towers, support integration of local knowledge, and support young scientists.

Domingo Nampichkai, Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance, said the Alliance encompasses 30 Indigenous nations in Ecuador and Peru, “united by the common understanding that we all belong to an interconnected web of rivers and forests.” He highlighted water as a sacred source of life and that what happens in the Amazon has an impact on all other regions of the Earth. He urged all governments to think together to make sure the Amazon is a sustainable resource.

Mumba then announced the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) ‘Adopt a River’ initiative, allowing schools to “adopt” a segment of a river to work on its preservation it and to twin with other schools around the world.

Prime Minister of Mongolia Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai spoke to the power of integration between desertification and water, between the environment and high tech, and between today and tomorrow. Highlighting climate change impacts that have changed the nomadic lifestyle of many herders in his country, he said Mongolia “is landlocked but not mind-locked.” Luvsannamsrai outlined Mongolia’s efforts to establish lakes to ensure water security, integrate mining and water projects, and protect 30% of land by 2030. Highlighting the role of the Summit in supporting transboundary cooperation to address shared challenges, he invited governments and investors to partner with Mongolia and invest in water projects.

A segment on cooperation and new governance and financing models was moderated by President of the Sanitation & Hygiene Fund (SHF) Cecilia Akintomide.

Noting that billions live without access to water and sanitation, Akintomide said we have to be smarter to “get more bang for the buck” in the limited time before the deadline for achieving the SDGs. She invited the panelists to share new models for water management, innovations for partnerships, and success stories.

Prime Minister of Morocco Aziz Akhannouch said Morocco dedicated more than USD 14 billion to ensure drinking and irrigation water availability through an innovative integrated approach to water storage. He also highlighted work on:

  • Connecting different water basins through the establishment of a “water road”;
  • Water desalination for drinking and agriculture;
  • Enhancing non-traditional water resources through wastewater reuse for irrigation;
  • Encouraging rationalizing water use for irrigation, for example, by using sprinklers; and
  • Approving dams for water availability.

Akhannouch emphasized the importance of working closely with partners in the public and private sectors.

Prior to signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Jordan’ Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu Soud and CEO of Meridiam Thierry Déau presented the Aqaba project in Jordan.

Abu Soud said the project will secure 300 million cubic meters of water, solving Jordan’s

water security. He highlighted the importance of “thinking outside the box” to find win-win solutions for all partners involved to ensure the project is a success story.

Déau recognized the primacy of bringing water to Jordan amid climate change and regional challenges that place stress on the water system. Welcoming Jordan’s systemic, holistic approach to reforming the water sector, he underscored the role of blended finance in making the project affordable and sustainable, and invited other donors to contribute.

In a panel discussion on new models for water management, President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser said multilateral development banks (MDBs) finance socioeconomic and environmental projects that “bring hope where hope used to be in short supply.” Along with finance, he stressed rationalization and conservation of water use in all sectors of the economy as key.

Speaking on behalf of nine MDBs, Al Jasser highlighted a collective pledge made at the Baku Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) to expand access to sustainable and climate-resilient water systems, with a focus on water stressed regions. Describing water security as the bedrock of all life on Earth that underpins social development, economic progress, and environmental sustainability, he said success of the entire 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development depends on SDG 6.

With current investment levels falling “far short of what is needed,” Al Jasser called for a tripling of annual investments, to reach USD 23 trillion by 2050, compared to projected USD 7 trillion by 2030. He said MDBs must attract non-traditional finance, diversify development assistance tools, and deepen technical collaborations to help bridge the financing gap and drive transformative change in the water sector.

Making a business case for water management, CEO of Veolia Estelle Brachlianoff underscored that for every USD invested, USD 8 is saved in avoided damages. She said solutions do exist; the question is how to speed up implementation of those solutions. She called for a combination of clear public-led frameworks that provide direction and stability overtime, stakeholder engagement, and innovation led by the private sector, which can bring efficiency and cost-effective solutions that push frontiers. Noting that industries use 20% of water worldwide, Brachlianoff encouraged businesses to sign an energy efficiency pledge to achieve “net-zero water.”

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Water Abdul Aziz Al-Shaibani outlined the role funding agencies and MDBs play in providing guidance and support for efficiency and innovation. Calling attention to Saudi Arabia’s National Water Strategy 2030, he said holistic country-wide water management can deliver success and outlined some of its key achievements, including: a doubling of urban water production and of storage capacity; and a tripling of treated sewage effluent. Al-Shaibani underscored the importance of: privatization in restructuring the water sector to focus on sustainability; international collaboration; and holistic water management encompassing all aspects of the supply chain.

Fatimatou Abdel Malick, President of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Africa, spoke to the water challenges faced by Nouakchott in Mauritania, including horizontal expansion, the remoteness of water basins, and inequalities in water access. She highlighted water networks as an example of cooperation outside of a centralized system and called for support to cities to deliver water to their inhabitants and for efforts outside of the centralized approach to provide water for everyone.

In a video, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo discussed the Grand Inga Hydropower Project on the Congo river, with capacity to produce 44 gigawatts of electricity, while respecting the environment, contributing to carbon neutrality by 2050, and building a sustainable future for present and future generations.

UN Special Envoy for Water and Sanitation Retno Marsudi delivered concluding remarks. She said water flows through the center of and exacerbates multiple challenges, including climate change, increasing risk of disasters, and inequality. She underscored the need to better the current situation for people and the planet by “working as one, in coordination, and in sync.” She urged participants to work towards the 2026 UN Water Conference – and the SDGs and beyond – by pursuing one vision. Marsudi characterized the One Water Summit as an important step in ensuring a water secure future for all, calling for “a thousand steps and a million deeds, working as one to get things done.”

The UN 2026 Water Conference will be held from 2-4 December 2026, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources]