The 41st UN-Water Meeting was held on April 2–3, 2025, at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) headquarters in Rome, Italy. Representing Türkiye as observers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN) participated in the meeting.

Over the course of two days, participants reviewed the UN Water and Sanitation Strategy and its associated Priority Cooperation Actions (PCA) program, launched by the United Nations in 2024. The event hosted 90 participants from UN agencies, partner organizations, and invited countries, with an additional 60+ registered for online attendance.

As part of the 2025–2028 strategic framework, five major Priority Cooperation Actions and their corresponding budgets were officially approved by 36 UN-Water members and 49 partner organizations:

• PCA 1.1: Unify and amplify UN voices on water and sanitation
• PCA 1.2: Water beyond 2030
• PCA 2: Collaborate for joint country programming
• PCA 3: Mainstream within the Rio Conventions at all levels
• PCA 4: Improve availability and use of evidence and learning to accelerate progress
• PCA 5: Mobilize to elevate the ambition of UN Water Conferences

During the meeting, international organizations to form the 2026 World Water Development Task Force were identified, and ongoing initiatives by various water-focused task forces were shared. It was noted that country case studies—scheduled for completion in 2026—are actively underway in Bhutan, Rwanda and Saudi Arabia.

Twelve countries were reported to be receiving support under Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) action plans. Furthermore, the Sanitation, Hygiene, and Wastewater Multilateral Catalyst Fund, established in 2021, has been activated to focus on low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia.

The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) invited broader participation in its expert group working on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators. Updates were also provided on recent activities and COP meetings held under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

The Ramsar Convention Secretariat, also in attendance, emphasized the Ramsar Convention’s importance as one of the key multilateral environmental agreements and shared updates on recent projects involving water and wetlands.

As the largest UN-Water meeting held to date, the event included interactive consultations among participating countries, UN Agencies and partner organizations, on preparations for the upcoming UN 2026 Water Conference, which will be co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal. Participants also reviewed early preparations for other major international events, including the 11th World Water Forum, scheduled for 2027.

Roundtable sessions were held to explore key entry points for implementing the UN Water and Sanitation Strategy, encouraging open dialogue among stakeholders.