Frequently asked questions

Everyone. The Green Zone is open to all, hosted by the UAE at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi from 8 to 10 December 2026, and a single form covers the general public, professionals and organisations, and media. Tick the relevant box if you are interested in speaking, sponsoring, hosting a pavilion, or exhibiting, and the team will follow up.

Yes, registration for the 2026 UN Water Conference is free of charge.

Green Zone registration for the 2026 UN Water Conference opens soon.

More information will be shared soon regarding Blue Zone registration, which is handled by the UN.

Upon receipt of your application, the 2026 UN Water Conference Green Zone will reach out over email to update you on participation.

Yes, the 2026 UN Water Conference Green Zone registration form includes an on-behalf option, so an assistant or delegation coordinator can submit an application for another person.

Badge collection for all attendees of the 2026 UN Water Conference takes place at Hall 1 of ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre), the conference venue in Abu Dhabi. Stay tuned for more information about badge collection.

We strongly recommend registering online in advance of the Conference.

Media register for the Green Zone through the same form as everyone else, selecting Media as your organisation type. You then need media accreditation from the UAE's National Media Authority - apply before you travel. Journalists coming to cover the Conference may also apply for a Temporary Foreign Correspondent Card; allow around two weeks. If you are bringing filming equipment, you will need an equipment entry permit - allow up to a week. Full requirements and portal links are on the Media Hub. Media access to the Blue Zone requires UN approval.

The 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi runs on two tracks. The Blue Zone is led by the United Nations and features the six Interactive Dialogues, with access managed by the UN accreditation process. The UAE-led Green Zone is open to all, with high-level programming and immersive exhibitions that showcase the UAE's long-standing commitment to water security - and the action it is taking, at home and with partners worldwide, to turn that commitment into results.

No. Green Zone registration for the 2026 UN Water Conference grants access to the host-country programme at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi; it does not confer UN delegate status, UN accreditation, or any authority to represent a state. Access to the UN-run Blue Zone is governed separately by the United Nations - more information about how to apply for the Blue Zone will be shared soon.

The UN manages accreditation and access to the Blue Zone at the 2026 UN Water Conference. More information about the UN participation can be found on the UN DESA website.

Yes, you can participate in the Green Zone. Registration covers general attendance, exhibiting, sponsorship, speaking, and media, featuring the host-country programme of forums, exhibitions, and announcements. For information regarding Blue Zone access, please contact the UN directly.

The Blue Zone programme of the 2026 UN Water Conference, the plenaries and the six Interactive Dialogues, is expected to be published in line with standard UN practice for its conferences. Whether Green Zone attendees can view sessions, follow proceedings, or access the Blue Zone programme through the conference website and app is a decision for the United Nations. (to be confirmed with the UN)

Visa requirements for the United Arab Emirates depend on your nationality: many nationalities can enter visa-free or receive a visa on arrival, while others must apply in advance. Check your position on the UAE's official government channels before booking travel, and see the conference visa explainer at Plan your visit, Visa, for guidance specific to the 2026 UN Water Conference. This FAQ does not restate visa rules: the official UAE visa portal is the authoritative source.

The 2026 UN Water Conference takes place at ADNEC, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 8 to 10 December 2026. ADNEC is one of the region's largest purpose-built exhibition and conference venues and sits within Abu Dhabi city. Registration and badge collection for all attendees is at ADNEC Hall 1.

Zayed International Airport (AUH) is Abu Dhabi's international airport and the natural arrival point for the 2026 UN Water Conference, with the ADNEC venue a drive away within the city. Dubai's airport is an easy drive to Abu Dhabi. [Journey times, transfer options, and any conference transport arrangements to follow.]

Abu Dhabi is served by taxis, ride-hailing services, and a public bus network, and ADNEC is an established venue with its own parking and drop-off arrangements. Specific routes, journey times, and fares for the 2026 UN Water Conference will be published on the Plan your visit pages closer to the event.

Stay tuned for more information about dedicated shuttle services to facilitate easy access to ADNEC for the 2026 UN Water Conference. Any shuttle provision will be published on the conference website’s Plan your visit pages once confirmed.

Abu Dhabi offers a wide range of accommodation across the city, and the 2026 UN Water Conference (8 to 10 December 2026) falls within the city's busy winter season, so early booking is recommended. Official accommodation guidance for conference attendees will be published on the conference website. [Accommodation guidance to follow; no hotels are named until the hotel list is confirmed.]

A set of preferred hotels is being arranged for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, and details will be published on the conference website once confirmed. Until then, attendees are free to book any accommodation in the city.

December is one of Abu Dhabi's mildest months. Daytime temperatures are typically in the mid-twenties Celsius, evenings are cooler, and rain is rare: comfortable conditions for a conference and for exploring the city. The 2026 UN Water Conference runs 8 to 10 December 2026, in the heart of this winter season.

Business attire is appropriate for the 2026 UN Water Conference itself, as at any UN conference. Around Abu Dhabi, visitors are welcome to dress comfortably; modest dress, covering shoulders and knees, is appreciated in public places and is required when visiting mosques and some cultural sites. Light layers work well in December, as venues are air-conditioned while the weather outside is mild.

Arabic is the official language of the United Arab Emirates, and English is very widely spoken in Abu Dhabi: in hotels, restaurants, taxis, and at the ADNEC conference venue. Attendees of the 2026 UN Water Conference can expect to get around comfortably in English.

Abu Dhabi’s diverse cultural landmarks include Qasr al Hosn, The Founder’s Memorial, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Abrahamic House, the Zayed National Museum, Qasr al Watan, the Natural History Museum, teamLab Phenomena, to the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, which opens following the Conference.

Winter in Abu Dhabi is also a wonderful time to immerse in the outdoors, from walking along the waterfront Corniche to exploring the majestic mangroves at Jubail Island to visiting Al Ain and experiencing the surrounding desert.

The official currency is the dirham (AED). Life in the UAE is cashless, with Apple Pay and card payments accepted almost universally across hotels, shops, cafes and restaurants, and taxis.

The 2026 UN Water Conference is a United Nations conference on water, held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 8 to 10 December 2026 and co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal. It is the third UN conference of its kind since 1977, and the first explicitly focused on accelerating implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all. Every future flows from water; this conference is where commitments turn into action.

The 2026 UN Water Conference is co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Senegal, and takes place at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi from 8 to 10 December 2026. The two co-hosts are bringing the world together to elevate water on the global agenda and to mobilise private-sector finance, innovation, and partnerships for lasting change.

The Interactive Dialogues are the six themed pillars of the 2026 UN Water Conference programme, each co-chaired by two member states: Water for People (Switzerland and Ghana), Water for Prosperity (Spain and China), Water for Planet (Japan and Egypt), Water for Cooperation (Finland and Zambia), Water in Multilateral Processes (Germany and Mexico), and Investments for Water (France and South Africa). They run at two per day across the conference, 8 to 10 December 2026, alongside the plenaries. Investments for Water is a new track for 2026.

Sustainable Development Goal 6 is the United Nations goal to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030, one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals agreed by UN member states in 2015. Water underpins the entire sustainable development agenda, from food and energy to technology, health and economic growth, so progress on SDG 6 unlocks progress across every other goal. The 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi is the first UN conference explicitly focused on accelerating its implementation.

The 2026 UN Water Conference will gather thousands around the shared belief what water is life and central to future prosperity, development, and opportunity. Stay tuned for more information about the official programming across the Conference.

The outcomes, commitments, innovations, and partnerships from the 2026 UN Water Conference will shape the future of water for all. The next UN Water Conference will be hosted by Tajikistan in 2028.