The President of the Republic of Indonesia calls on the world to achieve inclusive and sustainable water governance

PRESS CONFERENCE

10TH WORLD WATER FORUM COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TEAM

NO.93/SP/TKM-WORLDWATERFORUM2024/05/2024

The President of the Republic of Indonesia calls on the world to achieve inclusive and sustainable water governance

Badung, May 20, 2024 – President of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) Joko Widodo (Jokowi) opened the 10th High Level Meeting (HLM) of the World Water Forum at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC), Bali, Monday (20/ 5/2024) morning.

^{President Joko Widodo (second from right) shakes hands with World Water Council President Loc Fauchon (third from left), in the presence of Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (left), Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and of Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (second from left) and PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono (right) after the opening of the 10th World Water Forum 2024 at the Bali International Convention Center, Nusa Dua, Badung, Bali, Monday (5/20/2024). Media Center World Water Forum 2024/Aprillio Akbar/nym.}

The President of the Republic of Indonesia said that the world's largest water forum should be an impetus for countries around the world to revitalize real action and common commitment by sharing knowledge, encouraging solutions innovative and by carrying out integrated management of water resources.

“This is about strengthening commitment and formulating real actions related to inclusive and sustainable water management,” Jokowi said.

This was said by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, because water plays an important and central role in human life. In fact, it is so important that water is considered the next oil of the future.

The same is true from an economic point of view. Water shortages, President Jokowi said, could slow economic growth by up to 6 percent until 2050.

Thus, before the participants of the 10th World Water Forum, President Jokowi revealed that over the past 10 years, Indonesia has strengthened water infrastructure such as the construction of 42 dams and 1.18 million hectares of irrigation networks. Next, rehabilitate 4.3 million hectares of irrigation networks and build 2,156 kilometers of flood control and coastal protection.

Indonesia is also using water to build the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant (PLTS). This PLTS is the largest in Southeast Asia.

But all these efforts are not enough. Water and sanitation problems will become more and more serious in the future. These efforts must be strengthened at the global level, both by the State and by the private sector and civil society. The 10th World Water Forum is a strategic step to take real action and a common commitment to integrated water resources management, the President said.

According to the president, Indonesia constantly emphasized three things during the forum. First, it is about strengthening the principles of solidarity and inclusion to achieve solutions to common challenges, particularly for small island countries facing water scarcity.

Second, strengthen hydrodiplomacy for concrete and innovative cooperation according to the needs of beneficiary countries while preventing competition in the management of transboundary water resources based on international law.

Third, strengthening political leadership is key to the success of various forms of cooperation for sustainable water security.

For this reason, Indonesia has adopted four new initiatives, namely the establishment of World Lakes Day, the establishment of a Center of Excellence in the Asia-Pacific region for water and climate security, sustainable water management in small island countries and water promotion. projects to guarantee political commitment, we become real actions.

Water is not only a natural product but a collaborative product that connects and unites us. Preserving water is our collective responsibility, President Jokowi said as he concluded his speech.

Previously, the President of the World Water Council, Loc Fauchon, encouraged the heads of state and delegations present to enshrine the right to water in the constitutions, laws and regulations of their respective countries. He said this would accelerate the achievement of justice for access to water and sanitation worldwide.

Thus, step by step, we can propose that the right to access to water be respected for all, he declared.

On this occasion, Loc Fauchon declared that his party would present the Money for Water coalition at the next United Nations conference and would invite all countries to join it. The coalition includes sub-sovereignty and water debt forgiveness for the world's poorest countries.

“We want to ensure that the majority of climate finance goes primarily to water, including wastewater,” he said.

Closing his speech, Loc Fauchon also called for international action to ensure more active and decentralized governance based on multilateral cooperation.

As we do in this forum, it is also important to strengthen the mediation rules for rivers, lakes and watersheds. Water diplomacy actually brings peace to the shore, rather than provoking war on the river, he said.

Apart from this, hydrodiplomacy constitutes a concrete and creative step in the management of transboundary water resources.

Following the forum, a ministerial declaration will be ratified containing three of Indonesia's national interests, namely proposing World Lakes Day, establishing a center of excellence for water and climate security and raising the issue integrated management of water resources on small islands.

Besides opening the high-level meeting, President Joko Widodo is also expected to visit Tahura Ngurah Rai, Bali, with state leaders and delegates of the 10th World Water Forum. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs/TR/Elvira Inda Sari)

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Director General of Information and Public Communication, Ministry of Communication and Information, Usman Kansong (0816785320).

10th PCO World Water Forum – Dede Ariwibowo (08111830020).

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