Jeddah, June 30, 2026, SPA — Member States of the Global Water Organization (GWO) affirmed their shared commitment to supporting GWO’s development, working to unify international efforts, and strengthening cooperation and integration in the water sector, contributing to sustainable solutions to global water challenges.
GWO hosted heads of delegation from its eight founding member states on the sidelines of Saudi Water Week, taking place in Jeddah from June 28 to July 2, 2026.
Representatives from Greece, Kuwait, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and Spain met to review progress made since the signing of the GWO Charter in Riyadh in May 2025, discuss priorities, and prepare for GWO’s first-line-fit-activation-of-in-flight-connectivity-on-new-airbus-a321xlr/”>first General Assembly.
Delegations from non-member states, United Nations agencies, multilateral development banks, and international and regional organizations also attended the meeting, reflecting growing international interest in GWO’s role and objectives and highlighting its position as an integrated global platform that unifies efforts to enhance cooperation in the water sector.
During the meeting, GWO’s founding team presented an overview of progress to date in the institutional development of GWO and its General Secretariat, including the approval of GWO’s governance model, bylaws, financial and administrative regulations, and its four-year strategy, which is built around four pillars: research and innovation, data and reports, policy and governance, and financing and investment.
GWO’s founding team remarked: “This meeting reflects the collective commitment of our member states to shaping a stronger, more integrated and coordinated global water sector. Over the past year, we have worked closely with countries and partners to lay the foundations of GWO, and we look forward to advancing the next phase together.”
The meeting concluded with interventions from representatives of the founding member states, underscoring their countries’ shared commitment to strengthening GWO’s role and enabling international cooperation in the sector.
GWO also highlighted its participation in key international water convenings in Dakar, Madrid, Dushanbe, and Jeddah, alongside engagements with stakeholders. These efforts have contributed to raising awareness of GWO’s role as a facilitator and platform for cooperation as momentum toward the first General Assembly continues to build.
GWO is an international multilateral platform established at the initiative of Saudi Arabia in September 2023 to serve as a global platform that unifies the efforts of countries and organizations in addressing growing challenges in the water sector. GWO aims to develop innovative solutions, exchange expertise, and facilitate financing for priority projects.