Indonesia Pushes Four Main Agendas in the 2024 World Water Forum
By Clarissa Andini )*
The Indonesian government as the host of the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) has prepared a draft containing a number of important points which will be included in a ministerial level declaration at the international event which will be held on 18-25 May 2024 in Nusa Dua, Bali. This event is considered strategic and will strengthen Indonesia’s important position in the international community.
The 10th World Water Forum carries the big theme “Water for Shared Prosperity”. The meeting of world leaders will later raise and discuss water issues as well as find joint solutions to water management problems. This forum will produce a Ministerial Declaration as the main result accompanied by concrete proposals or concrete deliverables in the form of projects, initiatives, joint actions. This forum consists of three main processes, namely the political process, regional process and thematic process.
Deputy Chair of the Secretariat of the 10th World Water Forum National Committee, as well as Expert Staff to the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) for Technology, Industry and the Environment, Endra S. Atmawidjaja, emphasized that there were four points that Indonesia was pushing for to be agreed to become a Ministerial Declaration (MD) at the 10th World Water Forum later.
The four proposals of the ministerial declaration (MD), namely the establishment of a Center of Excellence on Water and Climate Resilience (COE); mainstreaming Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) on Small Islands; Compendium of Concrete Deliverables and Actions; and the establishment of World Lake Day (WLD). These four agendas are initiatives for concrete follow-up from the 10th WWF participating countries.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said the ministerial declaration (MD) was a commitment from world leaders, related to the problem of water shortage in the world. Furthermore, Coordinating Minister Luhut stated that the ministerial level declaration was not binding, but was a joint agreement and commitment regarding the importance of water availability in the world.
Luhut, who is also Chair of the National Committee for the Implementation of the 10th Water World Forum, revealed that the ministerial level declaration also contained Indonesia’s national interests, especially regarding water resources, which is one of the world’s crucial issues.
On another occasion, Expert Staff to the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) for Technology, Industry and the Environment, Endra S Atmawidjaja, added that Indonesia is believed to be able to lead the 10th WWF meeting to produce important and concrete agreements to safeguard the sustainability of water and global environment.
Indonesia’s success in encouraging water governance through a local cultural approach is believed to be an attraction for world leaders to attend the forum which will be held on 18-25 May 2024. The many good practices that Indonesia has implemented are considered to be an advantage of the meeting which involved all stakeholders in water governance. The world can learn a lot from what Indonesia has done.
Among them are the Subak system in Bali which has been recognized by UNESCO in managing irrigation through local wisdom, or Lake Bratan which is also in Bali. What has often been witnessed together is the Community Forest Park (Tahura) which shows how important mangroves are in supporting water management. These are all good examples that world leaders and delegates can directly witness.
The losing ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 25 2024 at Mangupura Hall. After this activity, participants will be taken on a field trip, among others, to the Water Museum in Tabanan, Jatiluwih UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lake Batur Kintamani, and Ubud Cultural Village.
Through its participation in the 10th World Water Forum, Indonesia is committed to being a motor of change in global efforts to achieve sustainable development goals related to water. By gathering support from various parties and implementing innovative solutions, Indonesia believes that we can flow together in protecting water resources for future generations.
)* The author is a student at the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB)
