Online Consultation ID E "Water in multilateral Processes"

Water underpins the entire 2030 Agenda, cutting across basically all sectors. Yet, the global water crisis is intensifying, and SDG 6 is significantly off track. For decades, water governance has grown, and remains highly fragmented, preventing the UN system and Member States from addressing water issues comprehensively. Since 2023, meaningful progress has been made: The UN Special Envoy on Water has been appointed and UN-Water developed the UN System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation. In addition, the 2023 UN Water Conference already showed strong support from UN Member States for strengthening intergovernmental cooperation on water, including through discussions on a comprehensive and continuous intergovernmental process under the United Nations.

The 2026 UN Water Conference and its Interactive Dialogue "Water in Multilateral Processes" (ID E) build on these foundations and, by further developing issues raised, give critical input on how water governance should further evolve in the years to come. As co-chairs, Germany and Mexico envision a participatory, ambitious and forward-looking dialogue. Based on various consultations held since the Dakar preparatory meeting in January 2027, our first State of Play Report synthesizes conversations and serves as a basis for further discussions.

While in-person consultations continue at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York and at Stockholm World Water Week, this questionnaire seeks to gather wider input from UN Member States and all kinds of relevant stakeholders – not only from the water sector itself but also from related fields, such as climate and biodiversity communities or the agriculture, health or energy sectors. This questionnaire addresses key issues that have come up in our discussions so far. We would like to encourage you to further engage in ID E and to share your perspectives on strengthening water governance – now and beyond 2030. Inputs will feed into our second State of Play Report and shape our discussions leading up to the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Please note that only one input per Member State / organization is accepted. This questionnaire will be open until 9 August 2026.

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Part I – Strengthening Water Governance

What key elements do you envision for an intergovernmental process on water? What milestones and timeline would you envision for its development and implementation? If considered, which existing institutions/mechanisms or processes could it build upon?

When establishing regular intergovernmental conferences on water, how could they be designed while remaining a lean process in line with the ongoing UN reform processes?

Considering that they 1) add substantive value and strengthen Member States’ coordination, 2) avoid duplication, 3) complement existing multilateral processes, 4) accelerate action on the ground

Mandate of UN Special Envoy on Water: Does the mandate of the Special Envoy on Water need further specification, and if so, how could this be achieved, e.g. regarding the role in an intergovernmental process?

Strengthening UN Water: How could UN-Water as the UN system’s coordination mechanism be strengthened to enhance coherence and implementation in global water governance now and beyond 2030, while simultaneously being coherent with the UN80 reform process.

Part II – Mainstreaming Water into other multilateral processes such as the Rio Conventions

Which existing institutional procedures, reporting frameworks, work programmes, financial mechanisms or initiatives could be used or modified to ensure that water-related objectives are systematically integrated into the Rio Conventions?

Please indicate which Convention(s) the proposal applies to.

Part III – Multi-stakeholder Participation

How could an inclusive, systematic and meaningful stakeholder engagment be structured around an intergovernmental process on water – what kind of mechanism is needed and what can we learn from existing formats?

Considering the crucial role of women in the water sector, if you could include one gender-related demand in the outcome document of ID E (Water in Multilateral Processes) – what would it be?

Part IV – SDG 6 Implementation and Financing

How could we ensure that mechanisms underpinning SDG 6 implementation remain useful beyond 2030 and receive sustainable and adequate financing?

Monitoring: What role should monitoring (e.g. UN-Water's Integrated Monitoring Initiative) play beyond 2030, also considering progress in water-related aspects under the Rio Conventions?

Which features have proven effective, and which shortcomings should be addressed in the design of future monitoring frameworks?

Part V – Follow-Up after the 2026 UN Water Conference

If the 2026 UN Water Conference is to start a steadier process, what further steps could follow to ensure a swift and coherent follow up with tangible results?

Which actions should be prioritized between the 2026 UN Water Conference, the 2027 SDG Summit and the 2028 UN Water Conference?

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Last updated: 29.06.2026

Online Consultation ID E "Water in multilateral Processes"

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