IDRA Welcomed as UN-Water Partner, Strengthening Global Coordination on Water, Climate and Innovation

The International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) has been officially welcomed as a Partner of UN-Water, marking a major milestone in its mission to represent its members and advance sustainable water security solutions worldwide. 

At the 42nd UN-Water Meeting in Geneva recently, Members of UN-Water unanimously agreed to welcome IDRA into the global network that coordinates the water-related work of 36 UN agencies and organisations. 

The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the IDRA Reykjavík Summit on Water and Climate Change, where international leaders, regulators and innovators convened to address how technology, policy and finance can come together to secure water in a changing climate. 

Being welcomed as a UN-Water Partner reflects IDRA’s growing role in connecting science, innovation, finance and policy at the global level.  This partnership strengthens our ability to serve the global need for water scarcity solutions, uniting the international desalination and reuse community in dialogue with the United Nations system and programmes. Together, we will continue to advance solutions that deliver resilience, equity and sustainability. The challenges ahead are interconnected, and our collective response must be as well.

Shannon McCarthy, IDRA Secretary General

As part of its new role, IDRA has been invited to serve on the leadership of the Innovation for Water Task Force, contributing to the development of strategies that align technology, policy and investment in the pursuit of universal water security. IDRA will also play an active role in upcoming UN-Water processes leading to the UN Water Conference in the UAE in December 2026 and the UN Water Conference in 2028. 

Dr. Mary M. Matthews, UNDP Water Lead and UNDP Special Advisor to IDRA stated, “It will be a boost to UN Water to have IDRA as a partner organisation. IDRA brings a unique and critical perspective to our discussions around applied innovations to address water scarcity and to foster climate resilience at local, national,and regional levels.” 

A Global Organisation Representing the Water Reuse and Desalination Community
Founded in 1973, IDRA is a global network connecting the desalination and water reuse community across more than 60 countries. Representing professionals from science, engineering, government and academia, IDRA serves as a unified platform advocating for the integration of desalination and reuse within Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) systems to strengthen global water security and resilience. 

Headquartered in the United States as a non-profit 501(c)(6) organisation, IDRA holds multiple designations across the United Nations system that reflect its leadership and technical credibility — including Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Partnership with the FAO’s WASAG Initiative and Observer Organization status under the UNFCCC since November 2024. 

Through these formal engagements, IDRA serves its members by advancing innovation, capacity building and policy alignment under the UN Water Action Agenda, helping scale technologies and governance models that ensure access to safe and sustainable water for all. 

“Our members are driving innovation and delivering real-world impact,” McCarthy added. “As part of the UN system, IDRA will continue to represent their expertise and leadership — advancing desalination and water reuse as essential pillars of water security for communities, industries, and nations worldwide.”