The Minister of Public Works and Housing (MPWH) of The Republic of Indonesia Basuki Hadimuljono called for a strengthened bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Japan in the upcoming 10th World Water Forum in Bali, scheduled from May 18th to 24th, 2024.

“It will be a continuation of the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries that has been established for 65 years,” the Minister said during a bilateral meeting with Deputy Minister Parlementer of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan, Furukawa Yasushi, on the sidelines of the 21st HELP meeting in Madrid, Spain.

Indonesia and Japan have been engaged in cooperation for 65 years. It began in 1958 with technical assistance in volcanic disaster management through sabo dam technology, followed by technical assistance in other areas such as water resource management, flood disaster risk reduction, coastal conservation, sanitation, and toll roads.

These technical cooperations showcased the strength of the Indonesia-Japan relationship. Both countries have expressed their commitment to continuing the relationship in the future, notably in the organization of the upcoming 10th World Water Forum. Moreover, the Government of Japan successfully hosted the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto in 2003.

Global South Cooperation

Recently, His Majesty Emperor of Japan, Naruhito, visited Indonesia and conveyed the highly positive and beneficial outcomes of his visit for enhancing cooperation between the two countries.

The Indonesian Government appreciates the concept of Global South Cooperation introduced by Japan Government which aims to address various water-related issues such as disasters,  water-food-energy nexus, and water quality.

In line with this concept, the Indonesian Government has also proposed two crucial agendas, namely the Bandung Spirit Summit Session and World Lake Day, to be included in the United Nations Resolution.

Furthermore, the Indonesian Government will invite Japan to discuss these two agendas at the 2nd Stakeholder Consultation Meeting (SCM) to be held on October 12-13, 2023, in Bali as a significant milestone towards the 10th World Water Forum in 2024 within  the political process.

Japan Water Forum Participation

Currently, the regional process for the 10th World Water Forum consists of three regions, namely Asia-Pacific, Mediterranean, and America. Discussions are still ongoing for other regions such as Africa.

Therefore, the participation of the Japan Water Forum (JWF), which will lead the Asia-Pacific regional process, is highly appreciated by Indonesia. Moreover, several experts from Japan will be invited to participate as coordinators for the six sub-themes of the 10th World Water Forum.

During the bilateral meeting, the Indonesian Government also seeks the support of the Japanese Government to encourage Japanese companies, institutions, and experts to actively participate in side events, exhibitions, and cultural events that will be held during the upcoming 10th World Water Forum in 2024.

The participation of Japan in the 10th World Water Forum will bring valuable expertise, experience, and resources in effectively addressing global water challenges. And participation from countries worldwide will undoubtedly contribute to the success of the 10th World Water Forum and pave the way for a sustainable future of water management.