Water is central to sustainable development, climate resilience, public health, food security, and disaster risk reduction. Yet climate change is intensifying hydrological extremes, increasing the frequency and severity of floods, droughts, and water-related disasters that threaten lives, infrastructure, ecosystems, and economies—particularly in vulnerable countries.  

At the same time, many countries continue to face persistent capacity gaps in water governance, integrated water resources management (IWRM), sanitation services, hydrological monitoring, and early warning systems. Addressing these challenges requires stronger institutional and human capacities, science-based decision-making, risk-informed governance, and enhanced partnerships across sectors and stakeholders. 

The UN-Water SDG 6 Capacity Development Initiative (CDI) serves as the inter-agency coordination platform on freshwater, sanitation, and hygiene-related capacity development work. The Initiative is demand-driven, responding to country-specific capacity development needs through coordinated support from the UN system and development partners, while promoting national ownership. The CDI contributes directly to the capacity development accelerator of the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework and supports implementation of the UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation. 

In parallel, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), through its Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM), has for more than 25 years promoted integrated, risk-based, and people-centred approaches to flood management. WMO supports countries in strengthening hydrological services, flood forecasting, climate information services, and Early Warning Systems for All (EW4All), helping governments integrate flood risk management into sustainable development and climate adaptation strategies. 

The 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), convening from 7 to 15 July 2026 under the theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all,” will include an in-depth review of SDG 6, among others. Thirty-six countries will present Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), several of which face significant water and climate-related challenges.

This joint side event will provide an opportunity to showcase how integrated water resources management, hydrological services, flood risk management, capacity development, and early warning systems can accelerate progress toward SDG 6, SDG 11 and SDG 13. It will also contribute to building momentum toward the 2026 UN Water Conference, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from 8–10 December 2026, co-hosted by Senegal and the UAE.

The event will highlight practical experiences from countries and partners implementing integrated and science-based approaches to water management and resilience, while generating recommendations for strengthening national capacities, partnerships, financing, and political commitment ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference.