Water, Economics and Trade: Exploring commitments for the UN 2023 Water Conference

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About this Event

The UN 2023 Water Conference, to be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Tajikistan on March 22-24, 2023 in New York, is the first UN Conference on water since 1977 and will be a pivotal moment for the international community to accelerate global action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, considering the vital role of water and its connection to all the SDGs.

Recognizing the importance of water for inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, this joint event of the Permanent Missions of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Republic of Tajikistan, facilitated by the WTO Secretariat, offers an opportunity to draw greater attention to the trade, investment and economic aspects of water.

This event will provide a platform to present ongoing work and interim conclusions of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. It will also inform WTO members and interested stakeholders in Geneva on preparations and expected outcomes at the UN Water Conference. Following COP27 held in Sharm El-Sheikh, the trade, climate change, and water interlinkages with a focus on the WTO World Trade Report 2022 will be presented.

The event will seek to identify various pathways for commitments on water, economics, and trade, to be presented as part of the Water Action Agenda, a key outcome document of the Water Conference, compiling voluntary actions and coalitions to get the world back on track to implementing and achieving our agreed water-related goals and targets.