Badung, May 24, 2024 – The Minister of Public Works and Housing of the Republic of Indonesia, Basuki Hadimuljono, officially closed the 10th World Water Forum on Friday (5/24/2024) at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) Nusa Dua, Bali.
He said that all the agendas proposed by Indonesia have been successfully implemented. The number of participants also exceeded expectations. It was initially 46 thousand people and then increased to 64 thousand.
Nevertheless, Basuki, who is also the Vice Chairman of the 10th World Water Forum, explained that the work is not yet complete and there are still many things that need to be improved. The various commitments must be followed by concrete steps and a strong sense of responsibility.
For the first time in the history of the World Water Forum, the Ministerial Declaration includes a compendium of concrete results and actions, covering 113 clean water and sanitation projects worth USD 9.4 billion, involving 33 countries and 53 international organizations as supporters and donors, as well as the beneficiaries of clean water and sanitation.
"The synthesis initiated at the ministerial meeting must be implemented for the benefit of society," he said.
Basuki also emphasized the importance of strengthening synergies between stakeholders. The challenges in the area of water and sanitation require a holistic and cross-sectoral approach.
Minister Basuki called on each country to contribute according to their respective capabilities. "In the global water agenda, every country must be part of the solution through cooperation and complementarity, not competition," said Basuki.
The 10th World Water Forum has produced a ministerial declaration that sets a clear direction in the midst of global challenges. Indonesia's proposal for World Lakes Day was adopted, as was the establishment of a Center of Excellence on Water and Climate Resilience, and the mainstreaming of the integrated management of water resources on small islands. Various other initiatives complement the United Nations Water Action Agenda.
The week-long forum in Bali was unique because it brought together all stakeholders related to the agenda, from the government, members of parliament, international organizations, NGOs to the private sector and youth.
Not to forget that Indonesia also encourages young leaders to contribute to research and innovation and to emphasize the important role of youth in the water sector by awarding the "Bali Youth Water Prize" at the 10th World Water Forum.
"I am sure that this award will encourage the young generation to drive change," said Minister Basuki.
On this occasion, the Minister also congratulated Iffah Rachmi, the Sanitation Care Youth Coordination, which was awarded the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize 2024.
Eric Tardieu, Vice President of the World Water Council (WWC), called on all participants to continue their efforts to achieve more efficient, peaceful and sustainable cooperation in water management.
On this occasion, Tardieu also mentioned the values that are rooted in Indonesian society to achieve a goal, such as mutual cooperation and "bit by bit, we will become a hill over time" (sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit).
When Tardieu made this announcement, everyone at the closing ceremony applauded enthusiastically.
"Let’s go home with patience, Balinese wisdom about water and a positive agenda," said Tardieu.
World Water Council President Loïc Fauchon also thanked the Indonesian government and the entire Indonesian people for the love and support they have shown for the successful staging of the 10th World Water Forum.
The 10th World Water Forum opened with the Segara Kerthi and closed with the Melasti ceremony, both traditions of Balinese water purification. There were 64 thousand participants or visitors from 160 countries who attended 278 discussion sessions and 254 booths at the fair and exhibition.
The 10th World Water Forum in Bali was attended by five heads of state, namely the Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the President of Fiji Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere, the Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and the Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda.
Former Hungarian President Janos Ader was also present as a special envoy. A total of 51 ministers and 57 high-ranking officials, 27 international organizations with a total of 135 officials at ministerial level took part.
In addition, 200 members of parliament from 49 countries and a total of 150 representatives of local and regional authorities from 23 countries and 847 representatives of sub-regions were present.
The 10th World Water Forum is a series of events that began two years ago with the National Stakeholder Forum and culminated in the 10th World Water Forum, which took place in Bali from May 18-25, 2024. The total number of participants amounted to 50,488 people.
The peak event in Bali was attended by 19,686 participants from 160 countries. The Fair & Expo from May 20-24, 2024 was attended by 23,718 visitors, including participants. The total number of participants and visitors during the five days from May 20-24, 2024 amounted to approximately 64 thousand people. In addition, the 11th World Water Forum will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2027. (Natalia Santi/Firda Puri/TR/Elvira Inda Sari)
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For more information, please contact:
Director General of Information and Public Communications, Ministry of Communications and Information – Usman Kansong (0816785320)
PCO 10th World Water Forum - Dede Ariwibowo (08111830020)
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