In October 2025, the Madrid Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Sector Ministers’ Meeting, hosted by the Government of Spain, launched the High-Level Leaders Compact on Water Security and Resilience. This Compact embodies a political commitment by governments and partners to accelerate universal access to climate-resilient water and sanitation services, recognized as fundamental human rights, and to strengthen sustainable water management in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement’s Global Stocktake process, as well as the Global Goal on Adaptation.
COP30 in Belém offers a pivotal opportunity to translate this commitment into concrete action. Water is the primary medium through which climate impacts are felt, and the Compact provides a framework to integrate water resilience into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), mobilize innovative financing, and foster accountability. This event at the Spanish Pavilion will highlight how the Compact can serve as a political and practical bridge between recent global processes, including the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action and preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference in the UAE and Senegal UN Water 2026 dialogues, together with national implementation efforts.
Objectives
- Present the outcomes of the Madrid SWA Sector Ministers’ Meeting and the launch of the Compact.
- Showcase national experiences in applying the principles of the Compact, including Brazil’s recent use of the Water Resilience Tracker as part of the COP30 Action Agenda, as well as the newly adopted European Water Resilience Strategy.
- Connect the Compact with global processes:
- COP to COP Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action
- UN 2026 Water Conference (UAE–Senegal)
- Explore concrete pathways to integrate Compact commitments into NAPs, NDCs, and COP negotiations.
- Mobilize political support, financing, and partnerships to ensure that momentum translates into transformative action for people, ecosystems, and economies.
Moderator
John Matthews. Executive Director / AGWA
Speakers
Opening remarks:
- H.E. Michelle Bachelet. Former President of Chile.
- Anton Leis. Director / AECID.
Speakers:
- Muyatwa Sitali. Head of Country and Partner Engagement / SWA
- Ana Paula Fioreze. Water resources specialist / National Water Agency of Brazil
- Sonja Koeppel. Secretary of the Water Convention / UNECE
- Kamala Abishova. Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Azerbaijan.
Closing remarks: H.E. Mr. Abdulla Balalaa. Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability, Ministry of Foreign Affairs / United Arab Emirates.