With Four International Organizations Involved, Saudi Arabia Leads Global Rethinking of the Water Sector

Saudi Arabia is positioning Riyadh as a meeting place for a global effort to reshape water-sector regulation. The inaugural Water Regulation Forum, organized by the Saudi Water Authority, will bring together regulators, policymakers, international and financial institutions, and industry leaders from 24 countries on November 1, 2026.

The forum will focus on building regulatory frameworks that are more flexible, efficient and sustainable. Its agenda includes water scarcity and climate change, as well as the regulation of desalination and water reuse. It will also address investment, innovation and the reliability of water supplies.

The opening edition will feature 28 speakers, four international organizations and 25 counterpart government entities. It is being held in partnership with the International Desalination and Reuse Association, known as IDRA.

The gathering will also introduce the identity and strategic direction of the Water Regulation Exchange, or WREx, ahead of its first edition in Riyadh in 2027. The forum coincides with the IDRA World Congress 2026, which Saudi Arabia will host in Riyadh from November 1 to 5 under the patronage of Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley.