Madam Moderator, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

We would like to start by thanking the organisers for the high-level focus this meeting places on concrete actions in relation to the interlinked challenges of water and disaster risk.

Water-related disasters, including floods, droughts, and storms, are a major global challenge, accounting for a large percentage of natural disasters and their associated deaths and economic losses. 

The EU and its Member States are deeply concerned by the growing frequency and severity of such disasters around the world and the consequences of climate change on the global hydrological cycle, and the impact of these disasters on the achievement of all the SDGs. 

Water is a basic need and a critical resource and water resilience is a matter of security and crisis preparedness.

The world therefore needs swift and focused action to address increasing water scarcity and stress, thus avoiding a global water crisis.

We welcome today’s special thematic session, which highlights the critical nexus between water and disaster risk reduction. 

Given the cross-sectoral nature of water and sanitation, as also emphasized in the UN System-Wide Strategy, addressing water-related disasters is essential to advancing the implementation of the Sendai Framework.

In this context, we would also like to highlight the importance of the development of Early Warning Systems, to protect vulnerable populations and countries. The UN Secretary-general’s initiative “Early Warnings for All” can play a pivotal role to secure no one is left behind.

The 2023 UN Water Conference put water firmly on the global political landscape with the ambitious Water Action Agenda.

The EU and its Member States believe that the 2026 UN Water Conference should include a strong focus on the solutions and actions to reduce global water-related disasters, such as implementing early warning systems, planning, resilient water infrastructures, water risk preparedness and reduction measures, including nature-based solutions.

In line with the EU Water Resilience Strategy, adopted on 4 June this year, the EU and its Member States stand ready to work towards an ambitious and action-oriented outcome of the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference. 

I thank you.