Badung, 24 May 2024—As of Friday, 24 May, the seventh day of the 10th World Water Forum, several commitments have been agreed upon. One of them is the “Bali Basin Action Champions Agenda,” a new commitment aimed at supporting river basin management as a booster for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Participants of the river basin segment welcomed the decision of the 10th World Water Forum to further consolidate river basin management as a political priority by continuously including river basin issues in high-level political segments, as well as in the ministry, parliament, and local government segments,” said Eric Tardieu, Secretary General of the International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO), at the closing of Basin Segment Day at the 10th World Water Forum at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC), on Wednesday, 22 May.

The Bali Basin Champions Agenda includes collaborative steps, such as the launch of the Twin Basin Initiative (TBI), a global program for capacity building and experience exchange among organizations worldwide working on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at both national and transboundary river basin levels.

To achieve this, the TBI will support joint capacity-building activities, such as webinars, in-person sessions, study visits, and global learning dissemination through peer-to-peer interactions and community outreach.

The International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) focuses on the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in national and transboundary river basins, lakes, and aquifers. It emphasizes integrated governance, strategic planning, shared information systems, and sustainable financing. It aims to address the challenges of climate change, biodiversity preservation, and transboundary cooperation.

Several parties contribute to this program. The European Commission contributes through a global peer-to-peer project for river basin organizations and IWRM capacity-building and twinning programs among these organizations. Additionally, the French Development Agency contributes through the DYNOBA Project, which enhances the capacity of transboundary river basin organizations in Africa.

During the opening of Basin Segment Day earlier that day, Indonesian Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono stated that collaboration is the key to success in basin or river basin management.

“Basin Segment Day is a valuable opportunity to discuss the next steps to enhance cooperation and exchange best practices in basin management,” said Minister Basuki. (Natalia Santi/Firda Puri/TR/Elvira Inda Sari/WW/Flow)