Senegal: UN preparatory meeting on water sparks optimism among civil society
On Friday in Dakar, representatives of Senegalese and international NGOs shared their hopes for the high-level preparatory meeting for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, which is set to take place on 26–27 January in Diamniadio, near the Senegalese capital.
“The high-level meeting in Dakar is designed to be inclusive and collaborative. It will generate innovative ideas and initiate constructive partnerships that will extend beyond the United Arab Emirates,” said Abdoul Aziz Faye, coordinator of the Platform of Civil Society Organisations for Water and Sanitation in Senegal (POSCEAS), at a press conference.
He added that stakeholders are encouraged to contribute actively throughout the sessions so that different perspectives are heard and taken into account during the deliberations.
Marie Bouyssé, an advocacy officer at Coalition Eau, a collective of around 30 French NGOs, said that this high-level meeting was ‘a strategic opportunity to set ambitious political and financial goals’ and to follow up on the commitments made at the 2023 conference.
She also recommended that decision-makers ‘recognise the water crisis politically and institutionally’ and ensure that future discussions and commitments are based on a human rights approach.
Calling for the strengthening of global water governance, she invited governments and donors to recognise access to safe drinking water and sanitation as fundamental human rights.
