Today, Riyadh marked the commencement of the kickoff meeting for the events leading up to the 11th World Water Forum, a significant event being held in the Middle East for the first time. The meeting has convened many specialists and experts to address pressing global water issues and to outline a roadmap for the Kingdom's hosting of the forum's main event in 2027.
In his remarks, His Excellency Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley emphasized Saudi Arabia's call for strengthened international cooperation and joint efforts among countries and organizations to tackle global water challenges. He underscored the importance of ensuring universal access to water and sanitation services as a key pillar in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).
"Saudi Arabia prioritizes the water sector through various measures, including the adoption of a national strategy encompassing water production, storage, transportation, distribution, treatment, and reuse, all within a comprehensive institutional framework," AlFadley added.
He further stated that the Kingdom has implemented Integrated Water Resources Management and enhanced supply chain governance. This is supported by the release of a long-term supply and demand plan that extends to 2050, alongside a commitment to environmental, social, and economic considerations in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.
Highlighting the Kingdom's leading role in supporting regional and international water issues, Minister AlFadley pointed to the launching of the Global Water Organization, aimed at fostering international collaboration, and the establishment of an International Water Research Center focused on water economics, water security, advanced technologies, and digital transformation.
The World Water Council President, Loïc Fauchon, highlighted that the Council, in collaboration with Saudi authorities, has developed a comprehensive framework outlining the thematic, regional, and political components that will shape the roadmap for the 11th edition of the forum.
Fauchon stressed the need to make water a top global priority, adding that this gathering will lay the foundation for future water policies. “The way ahead is still long, but we are confident we're on the right path toward real solutions—solutions that can change lives," he said.
The Deputy Minister for Water at the Ministry for Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Dr. Abdulaziz Alshaibani, underscored the urgency of the current moment, describing the preparatory meeting as a call for serious and immediate action. Alshaibani emphasized the need to build upon existing progress in the water sector and to move decisively towards solidifying priorities. He stressed the importance of greater coherence and integration across all sectors, along with the unification of all efforts, to achieve tangible solutions to global water challenges and to meet SDG 6. Al-Shaibani further noted that effective solutions must be anchored in several key pillars, including financing, innovation, diplomacy, and environmental considerations.
Dr. Alshaibani stressed the need to build on existing progress within the water sector and to swiftly solidify key priorities. He underscored the critical importance of greater coherence and integration across all sectors, demanding a unified global effort to achieve tangible solutions to the world's mounting water challenges and to meet the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 6.
The World Water Forum 2027, organized by the World Water Council in Saudi Arabia and held for the first time in the Middle East, is a significant international platform for exchanging ideas and experiences in water management.