Eight founding Member States of the Global Water Organisation (GWO), today, June 29, gathered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for the organization Water Week.
The Water Week, which would run from today to July 2 is being hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Representatives from Greece, Kuwait, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Spain today, met at the Ritz‑Carlton Jeddah to review progress over the past year, since the signing of the GWO Charter in Riyadh in May 2025.
The meeting also aimed at aligning the priorities and preparations for GWO’s first General Assembly. Delegations from non‑member states, United Nations agencies, multilateral development. Banks, and international as well as regional organisations also attended the meeting, reflecting the growing interest in GWO’s mandate.
During the meeting, GWO’s founding team presented an overview of progress to date, including the approval of the organisation’s governance model, bylaws, financial and administrative regulations, and its four‑year strategy – which is built around four pillars: research and innovation, data and insights, policy and governance, and financing and funding.
The organisation highlighted its participation in key international water convenings in Dakar, Madrid, Dushanbe and Jeddah, alongside engagements with stakeholders.
These efforts have contributed to raising awareness of GWO’s role as a facilitator and platform for cooperation as momentum toward the first General Assembly continues to build.
GWO’s founding team remarked: “This meeting reflects the collective commitment of our Member States to shaping a stronger, more coordinated global water sector. Over the past year, we have worked closely with countries and partners to lay the foundations of GWO, and we look forward to advancing the next phase together.”
The meeting concluded with interventions from the founding Member States, underscoring their shared commitment to supporting GWO’s development and strengthening cooperation across the water sector.
As the first global intergovernmental organisation dedicated solely to water, GWO was established in September 2023 to help unify fragmented efforts across the sector, promote collaboration and support countries in strengthening water governance, innovation, financing, and knowledge exchange.
