Egypt's Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Swailam has met with the UAE's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability Affairs Abdulla Belal on the sidelines of World Water Week in Stockholm, the Egyptian Cabinet reported. Talks focused on arrangements for the high-level international preparatory meeting set to take place in Dakar, Senegal, in January 2026, ahead of the United Nations Water Conference. Swailam stressed the significance of the upcoming UN conference, describing it as a pivotal milestone for shaping the future of global water processes beyond 2028 and 2030. He highlighted in particular the importance of the Fifth Interactive Dialogue on Water in Multilateral Processes, scheduled to be held during the conference. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama