The International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028, commonly referred to as the Water Action Decade, was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly to promote water-related global goals and water as a pillar to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  The Decade should be pursued through global, regional and national processes, and collaboration at all levels.   
 
A Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Water Action Decade is planned for March 2023 to report on progress made in implementing the Decade's objectives, identify possible obstacles in achieving them, and pinpoint innovative ways to support their implementation and accelerate progress. The conference will be preceded by regional and global meetings and include a review process. 

Based on the existing mandates to follow-up on regional preparatory work related to the Decade, ESCWA is coordinating consultations for Arab regional preparations leading to the Midterm Comprehensive Review Conference in 2023, with a wide range of regional organizations and institutions. This involves activating the engagement of regional stakeholders, encouraging the implementation of activities that can explicitly support the Water Action Decade in the region; and preparing the regional contribution to the midterm comprehensive review report based on regional exchanges on progress achieved, lessons learned, and challenges affecting the achievement of water-related SDGs in the region.

ESCWA is also actively engaging in various activities in support of the Water Action Decade and heavily involved in regional forums, initiatives, networks and other mechanisms that are contributing to the objectives of the Decade.

More information on the Water Action Decade is available on this link: www.wateractiondecade.org/

Water Action Decade Booklet 

Arab Regional Roadmap to WAD Midterm Review - Update 16 March 2021
 

First Consultation to prepare for the 2023 Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Water Action Decade (24 February 2021)

The first consultative meeting was held online on 24 February 2021 and gathered the designated representatives from the organizations that serve in the Technical Scientific and Advisory Committee of the Arab Ministerial Water Council, the Regional Collaborative Platform-Issue Based Coalition work pillar on Water, Food Security and Nutrition, and the UN-Water Regional Discussion Group for Arab States, based on the existing mandates to follow-up on regional preparatory work related to the Water Action Decade.

All participant institutions expressed their full commitment to the Water Action Decade (WAD) preparatory process. In summary, the following was agreed to:

• Conduct a session on the WAD during the 5th Arab Water Forum (21-23 September 2021, Abu Dhabi, UAE).
• Hold the regional preparatory meeting in February 2022 as a tentative date.
• The summary of the Arab regional report on the WAD will be used to inform the preparation of the UNSG’s report to the WAD.
• Short policy briefs (1-3 pages) with key policy messages generated from prior consultations and regional contributions to the WAD will help to inform the preparation of the regional meeting and regional report.
• Consider a wider range of engagement than the usual stakeholders to ensure the process is as participatory as possible.
• Next consultation meeting to be tentatively held during the first week of April 2021 as a 2-hr long virtual event and build on outcomes of the next UN-Water meeting planned for March 2021. The meeting will include more specific guidance on the scope of the report as well as the size and scale of the planned preparatory meeting. Participation in the consultation meeting would be extended to external stakeholders.
• Participants are strongly encouraged to share by email suggestions about other ideas, events to raise awareness about the WAD, and additional stakeholders to engage. All inputs are to be consolidated for the next consultation meeting.

Agenda

Information Note 

Meeting Report 

WAD Regional Preparations - Presentation 
 

Second Consultation to prepare for the 2023 Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Water Action Decade (14 April 2021)

The second consultative meeting will be held online on 14 April 2021. More information and documentation will be provided soon.

Water Action Decade Preparatory Process - Presentation

PGA Water Meeting - Arab States Interventions