2026 United Nations Water Conference

Special Accreditation for relevant non-governmental and other stakeholder organizations (Final Round)

Apply by 31 March 2026

Background

The high-level 2026 United Nations Water Conference to Accelerate the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all will be held in the United Arab Emirates from 2–4 December 2026, co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates.

The Conference will consider challenges to achieving SDG 6 as well as opportunities and innovative ways to support its implementation and accelerate progress. Participants will exchange views, develop initiatives, and identify actions to advance SDG 6, including cooperation at all relevant levels to enhance means of implementation and partnerships. The Conference will also highlight gender perspectives and empowerment of women and girls in ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation for all.

Additionally, the Conference will offer an opportunity to share best practices in accelerating SDG implementation—including those included in the Water Action Agenda—and will invite Member States and other stakeholders to announce voluntary commitments in support of the Conference objectives. Members States decided that the 2026 Conference should build on the discussions held during the UN 2023 Water Conference.

For more background information on the Conference, please see: 2026 UN Water Conference | Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

 

Which stakeholders can participate in the 2026 UN Water Conference?

Participation of representatives from non-governmental organizations, major groups and other relevant stakeholders at the 2026 UN Water Conference is guided by A/RES/78/327.

Organizations that fall under the following categories will be able to request registration to attend the 2026 UN Water Conference and its preparatory meeting.

1. Non-governmental organizations and major groups identified in Agenda 21 and other stakeholders in consultative status with ECOSOC. You can check if your organization has consultative status with ECOSOC here.

 

2. Organizations that were accredited to any of the following previous United Nations’ conferences (please, check here for a consolidated list of specially accredited organizations):

 

• World Summit on Sustainable Development
• the United Nations Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028,
• the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
• the intergovernmental conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction,
• the United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks
• the Review Conference on the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks,
• the international meeting entitled “Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity”.
• the 2017 and 2022 United Nations Conferences to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and
• United Nations conferences on the sustainable development of small island developing States (SIDS):

• • Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, 26 April-6 May 1994, Bridgetown, Barbados.
  • International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, 10-14 January 2005, Port Louis, Mauritius; and/or
  • Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, 1-4 September 2014, Apia, Samoa.
  • 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States, 27 – 30 May 2024, St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda

 

3. Organizations that received special accreditation to attend the 2026 UN Water Conference – First open call (2025).

Special Accreditation Process

As guided by resolution A/RES/78/327other relevant non-governmental organizations, including civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector and philanthropic organizations whose work is relevant to the Conference and are not in consultative status with ECOSOC or accredited to the previous United Nations Conferences mentioned above, neither received special accreditation to attend the 2026 UN Water Conference through the first open call for special accreditation (held in early 2025) must receive special accreditation in order to participate in the Conference and the preparatory meeting as observers.

Interested organizations can apply by 31 March 2026 through this portal: https://dgccso.un.org/Event-Details/?evtid=17b679c0-4eed-ef11-9342-000d3a284092&evtname=EVT-01005

This round of special accreditation will be conducted on the Civil Society Platform, one of the latest initiatives from the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) designed to streamline engagement processes for civil society organizations.

If your organization does not yet have an account, follow the user guides below to get started:

Quick Start on the Civil Society Platform

Account Creation Guide and FAQ

Request Accreditation Guide

Applications will be reviewed on the basis of their background and involvement in the implementation and follow up of SDG 6. The President of the General Assembly will draw up the list of recommended organizations and submit it to Member States for their consideration on a non-objection basis. Approved organizations will be notified by the Secretariat after Member States review.

Once an organization or entity receives special accreditation, it will be able to register representatives to participate at the 2026 UN Water Conference.

For additional information about the 2026 UN Water Conference, please check https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2026

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