Dubai: The UAE Aid Agency and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have joined forces to conduct a roundtable discussion titled 'From Commitment to Impact: Humanitarian Action in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.' This event was part of the agency's involvement in the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD 2026), which is themed 'Humanity in Transition: Shaping the Future of Humanitarian Action.'
According to Emirates News Agency, the roundtable gathered prominent figures from humanitarian and development sectors, donor organizations, innovators, and the private sector. The primary goal was to enhance the resilience of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems. Participants emphasized the necessity of water resilience and discussed how integrating humanitarian response, preparedness, recovery, and system strengthening can mitigate future needs. Additionally, they explored how partnerships, financing, technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence can drive investment in sustainable water and sanitation systems.
The recommendations from the roundtable will be presented to the organizing committee of the 2026 UN Water Conference, scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi from December 8 to 10, co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal.
Sarah Jasim, Director of Sustainable Development in the Operations Department at the UAE Aid Agency, highlighted the importance of humanitarian response in saving lives. She stressed the need for investing in resilient and sustainable water and sanitation systems to prepare for future crises. Jasim stated that the agency, alongside UNICEF and other partners, is committed to transitioning from an emergency-based response to a model focused on preparedness, recovery, and capacity-building. This approach involves deploying innovative solutions and leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to enhance water and sanitation services for vulnerable communities.
Lana Wreikat, UNICEF Regional Office Director for the Gulf, remarked that addressing water sector challenges has evolved into an urgent humanitarian issue rather than solely a development concern. She urged for a shift from repeated humanitarian response cycles to securing the necessary financing, technology, innovation, and human capacity to tackle water and sanitation challenges, especially amid escalating crises, to protect children, maintain development progress, and diminish future humanitarian needs.
In the last three years, the UAE has allocated USD 21 million to support the global humanitarian response in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector. Recent initiatives include the establishment of desalination plants in El Arish, Egypt, which produce two million gallons of clean water daily for one million displaced individuals in the Gaza Strip, as well as water infrastructure supporting refugees and host communities in Chad, South Sudan, and other regions.