Water security is under threat worldwide. Human activity and climate change are increasingly straining water systems, demanding urgent and innovative responses.
From 1–5 December 2025, the XIX World Water Congress convened in Marrakech, Morocco, where political leaders addressed these challenges at the highest level. Through a High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on “Accelerating SDG 6 in a Changing World,” 18 ministerial delegations and 16 representatives of international organisations reviewed progress and defined strategic priorities for water governance beyond 2030.
The Marrakech Declaration is one of the key outcomes of these discussions and of the Congress as a whole. It reflects a joint call from global water leaders to move beyond traditional governance and embrace resilience, digital innovation, and inclusivity.
The Declaration calls for decisive and coordinated action to accelerate progress on SDG 6 and to safeguard sustainable development for for people and the planet:
- Innovative and forward-thinking water management to address pressures from climate change, population growth, urbanisation, land degradation, pollution, and rising demand.
- Ethical and responsible innovation to accelerate progress toward SDG 6, leveraging digital tools, nature-based solutions, and indigenous and local knowledge.
- Investment in climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure, including renewable-powered desalination, wastewater treatment and reuse, rainwater harvesting, and improved disaster risk management.
- Strengthened international cooperation through the sharing of data, technologies, expertise, and financing.
- Inclusive and participatory water governance, ensuring the meaningful involvement of women, youth, civil society, and local communities.
- Mobilisation of public and private finance for innovative and resilient water projects.
- Recognition of water’s cross-cutting importance, supporting the human right to water and sanitation across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
