On the occasion of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH)’s 30th anniversary, this briefing, co-hosted by Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH and 2026 Stockholm Water Prize laureate and The Honourable Terry Duguid, Chair of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources in Canada's House of Commons, will explore how water can serve as a strategic entry point for dialogue and cooperation in a world marked by geopolitical fragmentation, growing political polarization, pressure on public finances and declining trust in multilateral institutions.
The meeting will take place on 3 November 2026, from 8:30 – 9:45 AM, in Ottawa, Ontario. It will bring distinguished participants together with UNU-INWEH leadership and members of its International Advisory Committee to explore emerging global trends and their implications for water, development and international cooperation.
The programme will include remarks by Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Rector of the United Nations University and other leading voices from the water research and policy community.
It will consider how water can serve as a common platform for advancing economic and human security, strengthening resilience, mobilizing investment, and connecting existing global commitments across climate, biodiversity, land and sustainable development.
Through a concise expert briefing followed by an open exchange, the meeting will invite parliamentarians to reflect on the role of political leadership and parliamentary engagement in translating these global trends into practical policy priorities. The discussion will also consider how international cooperation and targeted investment can help countries address immediate water challenges while supporting longer-term economic transformation and resilience.
Session Agenda
8:30 – 8:40: Welcome and Opening
8:40 – 8:50: Keynote Speech: Honorary Guest
8:50 – 9:00: Setting the scene: Water in a changing geopolitical landscape
9:10 – 9:10: Water, national interests and international cooperation
9:10 – 9:30: Finding common ground in a divided world
9:30 – 9:40: Interventions by UNU Hubs
9:40 – 9:45: Closing Remarks
