On 2 September 2026, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution entitled “Modalities of the 2028 UN Conference on the Final Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, 2018–2028”, thereby establishing the modalities for the 2028 UN Water Conference, which will be hosted by Tajikistan and convened in Dushanbe from 4 to 6 May 2028.

The adoption of this resolution marks a significantmilestone in the preparations for the 2028 UN Water Conferenceand represents an important step in shaping the next phase of international cooperation on water as the International Decade approaches its conclusion.

A central feature of the adopted resolution is the decision that the 2028 Conference will agree on an action‑oriented outcome document that serves as the “Dushanbe Water Framework”, intended to provide a unified basis for advancing water action beyond the end of the Water Action Decade. It is noteworthy that, through this document, the General Assembly—for the first time in the history of United Nations water‑conference coordination— formally acknowledged both the adoption of an intergovernmental outcome document and the establishment of a foundation for shaping an international cooperation framework in the water sector. Accordingly, the member states Member States will negotiate in advance and adopt by consensus a dedicated intergovernmental outcome on water.

The resolution also requests the President of the General Assembly to appoint two co-facilitators to conduct the intergovernmental consultations on the “Dushanbe Water Framework” outcome document.

Reflecting a forward‑looking initiative recently advanced by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Mr. Emomali Rahmon, the proposed Dushanbe Water Framework is designed to sustain and further strengthen international cooperation on water, guiding Member States and stakeholders in enhancing implementation, mobilizing partnerships and accelerating progress on water‑related goals.

The resolution further decides that a one-day high-level meeting will be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York in 2027 under the chairmanship of Tajikistan to support effective preparations for the Conference.

In this context, the 2028 United Nations Water Conference in Dushanbe is expected to serve not only as the culmination of the International Decade, but also as a bridge towards the next phase of global water cooperation. Drawing on the experience and lessons of the Water Action Decade, this meeting can help lay a shared and coherent foundation for future action in the water sector and strengthen collective capacity to address both current and emerging water‑related challenges.

The General Assembly decides that the themes of the interactive dialogues at the Conference shall be: (a) Water for People; (b) Water for Prosperity; (c) Water for Planet; (d) Water for Cooperation; (e) Water in Multilateral Processes; and (f) Investments for Water; and further decides that each interactive dialogue shall be presided over by two co‑chairs, to be appointed in advance by the host of the Conference.

Undoubtedly, the adoption of the above‑mentioned resolution by the General Assembly once again reflects the international community’s recognition of the global importance of the water‑related initiatives of the Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Mr. Emomali Rahmon, including the proposed Dushanbe Water Framework.