Jeddah (UNA/SPA) – The “Saudi Water Week 2026” continued its work for the second day, amid a remarkable local, regional and international presence, and broad participation from decision-makers, experts, specialists and representatives of international organizations, research institutions and the private sector, in confirmation of the growing position that the Kingdom has come to occupy as a global platform for dialogue and cooperation on water and sustainability issues.
The second day's sessions witnessed a great intellectual momentum that addressed the most prominent challenges and opportunities facing the water sector globally, through a program full of specialized sessions and panel discussions that focused on water security, innovation, investment and strategic partnerships, in addition to reviewing leading experiences and practices in water resources management.
The events began with the general session for CEOs of the water sector, entitled: “Water Transformation on the Ground,” which discussed the latest developments in the sector and the most prominent transformations it is witnessing at the regulatory, operational and investment levels. The sessions continued their work by discussing the files of water security, water financing, water for people and nature, water governance and water diplomacy, innovation in water management, and the value of water, in order to enhance building common visions towards the future of the sector globally.
The political track also addressed the issue of water basins and watersheds and the importance of integrated water resources management, while the session on “Innovation for the Future: Paths Towards Sustainable Use of Water and Land” discussed the latest solutions and technologies that support environmental sustainability and enhance the efficiency of natural resource use.
The program included a session dedicated to youth that focused on the role of future generations in developing innovative solutions to water challenges, as well as an introductory session on the International Desalination and Water Reuse Organization (SIO), which reviewed the organization’s efforts and initiatives in supporting innovation and knowledge exchange at the international level.
On the side of partnerships and investment, several sessions discussed the future of the water industry and the role of strategic partnerships in accelerating growth and achieving sustainability. Among them was a session that reviewed the role of the “Sharakat” company as the main buyer of water in the Kingdom, and another that addressed the impact of strategic partnerships in shaping the future of the sector, in addition to a session reviewing the Saudi Water Authority’s partners from the public and private sectors, which witnessed the honoring of a number of partners and the signing of memoranda of understanding that support cooperation, exchange of experiences and development of quality projects.
Specialized sessions also highlighted maximizing the economic value of water transmission systems, best engineering practices to reduce water loss and enhance proactive safety indicators, in addition to reviewing current and future projects in the field of partnerships, and their role in raising the efficiency of services and achieving financial and operational sustainability.
Within the regional framework, sessions dedicated to the Arab region, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas region, and the African region discussed the most prominent common challenges and opportunities, and exchanged experiences and successful practices in water resource management and enhancing water security in various regions of the world.
The events also featured a key panel discussion entitled: “Treated Water: A Strategic Resource for a Sustainable Future,” which addressed the importance of expanding the reuse of treated water as one of the vital solutions to meet the challenges of increasing water demand. Meanwhile, the session “Water Innovation: From Challenge to Impact” reviewed practical models and experiences that contributed to turning challenges into sustainable development opportunities.
The second day’s work concluded with a dialogue on integrating the paths to review the most prominent outputs and results, followed by the conclusion of the second consultative meeting of stakeholders under the title “Two Days’ Harvest and the Road to Riyadh 2027”, which discussed the most prominent recommendations and visions put forward in preparation for the Kingdom’s hosting of the eleventh World Water Forum in Riyadh in 2027.
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