16th Meeting of the Group of Friends on Water and Peace

The meeting featured keynote addresses from Ambassador Anita Pipan, Chair of the Group of Friends, Ambassador Coly Seck, and Ambassador Jürg Lauber, Co-Chairs of the Group. The forum’s framework and key objectives were presented by Mr. Abdoulaye Sene, Executive Secretary of the 9th World Water Forum, followed by a presentation of the UN World Water Development Report 2022, "Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible", by Ms. Alice Aureli from UNESCO. Additional presentations on activities leading to the forum were delivered by Ms. Sonja Koeppel (UNECE Water Convention) and Mr. Mark Zeitoun (Geneva Water Hub).

Discussions revolved around key guiding questions:

• How can Geneva-based expertise contribute effectively to the forum?
• What are the expected outcomes and impacts of the 9th World Water Forum?
• How can collaborative efforts be enhanced to support global progress on water security and SDG 6?
• How will discussions on the nexus of water and peace be framed at the forum?

La session a souligné l'importance de la coopération multilatérale pour relever les défis mondiaux liés à l'eau et a mis en évidence le rôle du forum en tant qu'événement préparatoire clé pour la Conférence des Nations Unies sur l'eau de 2023. Les participants ont insisté sur la nécessité de tirer parti de l'expertise et des partenariats internationaux pour faire en sorte que le forum génère des solutions concrètes pour la sécurité de l'eau, la paix et le développement durable.