Water-Related Disasters Take Center Stage as UAE Chairs First UNDRR Support Group Meeting in Geneva

The United Arab Emirates officially chaired the first meeting of its tenure as Chair of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Support Group in Geneva today, which strategically focused on water-related disasters and the urgent need to enhance global resilience.

His Excellency Jamal Jama Al Musharakh, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, outlined the UAE’s priorities as Chair of the UNDRR Support Group from September 2025 to July 2026, which include accelerating implementation of the Sendai Framework, integrating climate action with disaster risk reduction, and enhancing knowledge and innovation in this field.

The meeting spotlighted water-related disasters, including floods, droughts, and water scarcity – as growing global concern, given their increasing frequency and severity due to climate change, and their profound impact on sustainable development and human security.

H.E. Al Musharakh emphasized that “water-related disasters must remain at the heart of our collective DRR priorities, especially as we approach the 2026 UN Water Conference, which will be co-hosted by the UAE and the Republic of Senegal.”

The meeting also featured remarks by Mr. Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, who underscored the importance of coordinated, innovative, and inclusive approaches to managing the increasing disaster risks.

The UAE’s chairmanship of the first UNDRR Support Group meeting reflects its steadfast commitment to advancing multilateral efforts to reduce disaster risks and build more resilient communities, and promoting sustainable development through inclusive dialogue and constructive partnerships.