NEW YORK, 16th July, 2026 (WAM) -- TRENDS Research & Advisory participated in the launch of the United Nations policy paper, Water as a Tool for Peace: Reassessing Progress and Shaping the 2026 Agenda (Flowing Towards Peace), during a high-level event organised by the UAE Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

The event was held as part of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2026) and was attended by UN officials, diplomats, government representatives, research institutions, and international organisations.

The TRENDS delegation included Nasser Mohamed Al Ali, Executive Director of TRENDS Group, and Professor Abdulaziz Al-Shehhi, Senior Researcher and Deputy General Manager of TRENDS Research & Advisory. They participated in the launch of the policy paper, which represents one of the most significant international research initiatives supporting preparations for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.

The policy paper is the result of a collaborative international research effort involving TRENDS Research & Advisory, the Geneva Water Hub, and PED-Senegal. It was developed in partnership with UN-Water and the UN Water Convention to support global efforts to strengthen water security and build international consensus ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, which will be co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal in Abu Dhabi this December.

The project also received support from the governments of the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of Slovenia, reflecting the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing global water challenges.

During the launch session, Professor Al-Shehhi presented the paper's key findings and recommendations. He emphasised that threats to global water security extend beyond climate change and natural disasters to include armed conflicts, attacks on water resources and infrastructure, and the mismanagement and unsustainable exploitation of water resources. Together, these factors are significantly intensifying the global water crisis.

He explained that the paper calls for fostering sustained international attention to the concept of "water as a tool for peace" by strengthening global cooperation to protect water resources, prevent their use as instruments of conflict or political pressure, and instead harness them to promote dialogue, build trust, and enhance stability and peace.

Prof. Al-Shehhi noted that TRENDS' participation in this international initiative reflects its ongoing commitment to producing strategic knowledge, supporting evidence-based policymaking, and developing practical solutions to global challenges.

The policy paper highlights that water is no longer merely a natural resource or a development issue; it has become a cornerstone of international peace and security. It calls for enhanced international cooperation, the development of practical, science-based policies, and greater efforts to transform water into a catalyst for dialogue, confidence-building, and peaceful cooperation among countries and societies.

The paper aims to strengthen international political momentum and offers a set of policy recommendations and practical measures designed to support dialogue among governments, international organisations, and relevant stakeholders.

These recommendations seek to contribute to ambitious outcomes at the 2026 United Nations Water Conference while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, which focuses on ensuring access to clean water and sanitation for all.

Following the launch, the TRENDS delegation participated in a closed session at United Nations Headquarters, bringing together representatives of UN Member States, senior UN officials, and international experts in water and sustainable development.

The discussions focused on strengthening water security in conflict-affected regions, promoting water diplomacy as a tool for conflict prevention, and identifying practical mechanisms to translate the policy paper's recommendations into concrete initiatives and programmes in preparation for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference.