Video Remarks
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
I am deeply honoured to extend my congratulations to UNESCO on this important anniversary. For five decades, the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) has been pivotal in advancing global water security.
Through groundbreaking water science, harmonizing transboundary data, training thousands of experts, and guiding nations towards equitable, climate-resilient management of rivers, aquifers and aquatic ecosystems, the IHP has accelerated progress on SDG 6, empowering communities to safeguard our most precious shared resource - water.
Beyond the IHP, I commend UNESCO¡¯s broader leadership in water science and education, particularly its collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization to champion the International Year of Glaciers¡¯ Preservation 2025.
Spotlighting glaciers -- a critical part of the global hydrological cycle ¨C underscores how their retreat threatens global water security, ecosystems and cultural heritage for communities worldwide. This commitment to glacier preservation exemplifies the multilateral cooperation we need -- to protect these ¡°water towers of the world¡± and advance the 2030 Agenda.
UN DESA deeply values its co-coordination role with UNESCO on the UN-Water SDG 6 Capacity Development Initiative (CDI). This initiative harnesses the UN-Water family¡¯s collective expertise to support countries in building national capacities for SDG 6 implementation.
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
As the Secretary-General of the 2026 UN Water Conference in the United Arab Emirates, I urge all of you to build on the momentum of the 2023 UN Water Conference, and translate our shared vision into tangible, measurable results.
Let us draw inspiration from the IHP¡¯s 50-year legacy of collaboration. Let us forge equally impactful partnerships in 2026 and ensure a positive future for people, planet, and our collective prosperity.
Thank you.