The 10th World Water Forum (WWF) in Bali, Indonesia, officially kicked off on Monday, May 20. The event was attended by eight heads of state and 105 ministers from 132 countries. In addition to government representatives, several international organizations were present, including the President of the World Water Council and the President of the United Nations General Assembly.
Interestingly, this year's event had several results that were significantly different from previous years:
1. High-Level Meeting
For the first time in the 30-year history of WWF, the 10th conference hosted a High-Level Meeting at the level of Heads of State. This meeting took place after the opening ceremony and was attended by a total of 48 countries and international organizations.
President Joko Widodo of Indonesia opened the High-Level Meeting session of the 10th WWF by emphasizing the importance of global cooperation in managing water resources to meet the increasingly complex challenges of the future.
President Jokowi highlighted the importance of the 10th WWF in catalyzing concrete actions and collective commitments on integrated water management. He emphasized three key points: reinforcing the principles of solidarity and inclusiveness, enabling concrete and innovative hydro-diplomacy, and strengthening political leadership in international cooperation on water.
2. Ministerial Declaration Outcome
The 10th WWF in Bali also made history with a Ministerial Declaration - its first since it was launched in Morocco in 1997. This was announced on Tuesday (May 21) in Nusa Dua, Bali, by Indonesia's Minister of Public Works and Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono, who also serves as the 10th World Water Forum Daily Chair.
The declaration was adopted during the ministerial-level meeting attended by 108 countries and 30 international organizations. The declaration adopted several important proposals by Indonesia in the field of water management.
First, the establishment of an Asia-Pacific Center of Excellence on Water and Climate Resilience to build capacity.
Second, integrated water resources management, with a particular focus on small islands, which are a priority for Indonesia and other developing countries.
Third, a proposal for a World Lakes Day. According to Minister Basuki, lakes play a vital role as water sources for human life and have significant socio-economic impacts. The celebration of World Lake Day is not only symbolic, but also a key factor in the conservation of lakes worldwide.
This achievement was also hailed by the World Water Council as a "diplomatic victory" for Indonesia. Minister Basuki made the announcement during a press conference at the WWF Media Center in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday (May 21).
3. Concrete Results
Another achievement of the 10th WWF is Indonesia's successful development of a list of water-related projects that serves as a model for many countries. A total of 113 projects worth US$9.4 billion were identified during the Forum.
These projects include accelerating access to drinking water for 3 million households and managing domestic wastewater for 300,000 households. These projects have the potential to bring significant benefits to communities in various countries.
With these achievements, Indonesia is considered to have left a "legacy" in global water resource management.
