Global Water Security Demands Coordinated International Response, Say Saudi Arabia and Senegal

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and Senegal have called on the international community to enhance cooperation on water security, cautioning that escalating scarcity, surging demand, and insufficient access are exerting mounting pressure on global societies and economies.

At a high-level ministerial session during the UN General Assembly titled “United for Water: A Call for Collective Action,” Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for international multilateral affairs emphasized that water must be recognized as a core component of international security, resilience, and economic development.

• Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, Saudi deputy minister for international multilateral affairs, underscored the Kingdom’s expertise in addressing water scarcity.

• He noted that the Kingdom is the world’s leading producer of desalinated water and has positioned water governance at the heart of its national strategy.

“Safe, accessible, and secure water is not a mere convenience; it is fundamental to human well-being and community resilience,” Al-Rassi stated.

The session was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and Senegal in partnership with the Global Water Organization, an entity dedicated to fostering international collaboration on water challenges.

Al-Rassi argued that mere availability is insufficient to resolve the global water crisis, stressing the necessity of accessibility, governance, technological advancement, and international cooperation.

“Water challenges transcend national borders,” he remarked, pointing out that growing scarcity and rising demand are placing unprecedented strain on shared water resources.

He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s proactive approach to water scarcity, noting that the Kingdom has become the world’s largest producer of desalinated water and integrated water governance into its National Water Strategy 2030.

Continuous investment in technology and innovation has bolstered water management and fostered novel solutions, Al-Rassi added, demonstrating how water diplomacy can transform shared challenges into opportunities for dialogue and partnership.

Al-Rassi connected water security to broader regional stability, asserting that resilient water systems are intrinsically linked to the security of critical maritime routes.

“Safeguarding freedom of navigation and ensuring the security of waterways remain vital to global economic stability and shared prosperity,” he said.

Amina Tature, Senegal’s high representative of the president, stressed that water must become a higher political priority within the multilateral framework, especially as its implications increasingly intersect with climate change, economic development, and social stability.

In Africa, she noted, water shortages disproportionately impact women and girls, who bear the responsibility of water collection.

Tature highlighted Senegal’s experience with transboundary cooperation, including through the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River and the Gambia River Basin Development Organization, proving that shared water resources can foster cooperation rather than competition.

“Our experience demonstrates that a shared basin need not be a theater for competition; it can become a space of trust, solidarity, and shared prosperity,” she concluded.

She welcomed Saudi Arabia’s plans to host the 11th World Water Forum in March 2027, succeeding forums in Dakar (2022) and Bali (2024).

Tature also referenced the 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by Senegal and the UAE in Abu Dhabi in December, stating it should place water at the center of discussions on development, climate change, peace, and multilateralism.

She added that the conference would also provide an opportunity to strengthen global water governance beyond the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Water, Retno Marsudi, warned that progress toward SDG 6 — ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all — is lagging.

“We have just four years left before the deadline to ensure water and sanitation for all,” she said, noting that one in four people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, while 3.5 billion lack safely managed sanitation. “Therefore we need to unite, and we need to act collectively,” Marsudi urged.

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