A Turkish delegation led by Prof. Dr. Lütfi Akca, President of SUEN, participated in the 2nd Stakeholders’ Consultation Meeting of the 11th World Water Forum, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 28-29 June 2026. The delegation included representatives from SUEN and the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ). Organized as part of Saudi Water Week, the meeting marked an important milestone in the preparations for the 11th World Water Forum (WWF), which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 22-28 March 2027.
The opening session featured remarks by Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia; Prof. Dr. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, President of the Arab Water Council; Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia; Retno Marsudi, United Nations Special Envoy on Water; and Loïc Fauchon, President of the World Water Council. In their opening statements, the speakers emphasized the importance of sustaining the global momentum generated by the 2023 UN Water Conference, implementing existing commitments in the water sector, strengthening financing and partnerships, and advancing the preparatory processes for the 2026 UN Water Conference and the 11th World Water Forum.
Following the opening ceremony, Prof. Dr. Lütfi Akca addressed the high-level session as a speaker. He presented the key outcomes of the 5th Istanbul International Water Forum (IIWF) and highlighted how these outcomes could contribute to the preparatory process of the 11th World Water Forum. Prof. Dr. Akca underlined that the recommendations developed during the 5th IIWF provide valuable inputs to the forum preparations, while emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement and action-oriented cooperation throughout the process.
Prof. Dr. Akca also participated in the Local and Regional Authorities segment meeting, where he shared Türkiye’s approach and experience in multi-level governance at the local, regional, and national levels.
Throughout the meeting, ministers, representatives of international organizations, experts, and decision-makers reviewed the preparations for the thematic, political and regional processes of the 11th World Water Forum. Participants exchanged views on a wide range of issues, including water security, water finance, water governance and diplomacy, water for people and ecosystems, innovation for water management, the value of water and regional cooperation.
SUEN continues to play an active role in the preparations for the 11th World Water Forum by serving as co-coordinator of the theme, “Water for People and Ecosystems”, while also contributing as a member of the thematic coordination groups under the themes “Water Governance and Diplomacy,” “Innovation or Water Management” and “Value of Water.” Through these responsibilities, SUEN remains committed to advancing its work in the field of international water diplomacy.
