In early 2004, the then United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto of Japan to devise and execute this idea: bring together eminent people to advise on how to solve the planet’s foremost water and sanitation troubles, suggest a handful of attainable recommendations and a concise plan of action, and then provide the high-level leadership needed to galvanize the international community into action on the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets for drinking water and sanitation. The Prime Minister and his Chair successors took up these challenges.

UNSGAB became known as an international group of about 20 individuals who met a total of 25 times over the course of the following decade. Board Members were chosen by the Secretary-General’s office. These were diverse individuals with a wide range of experiences gained over two to three decades. They were all ready to work in a personal capacity, not to act as a representative for UN Member States or interest groups, and to use their networks and influence to help the water agenda move forward where it most needed the boost.

UNSGAB closed its activities through the hand-over of a final report to the Secretary-General during their final meeting 20 November 2015.