Jakarta, February 27, 2025 — In a series of events of the "Follow-Up Meeting of the 10th World Water Forum: From Bali to Riyadh and Beyond", the World Water Council held a high-level meeting in Jakarta on February 27, 2025 to discuss the prospects of global water diplomacy after the 10th World Water Forum.

The High-Level Meeting, moderated by the Honorary President of the World Water Council/President of the Latin American Water Council Benedito Braga, included as panelists the Deputy Minister of Public Works of the Republic of Indonesia Diana Kusumastuti, the Special Advisor to the Panel of High-Level Experts and Leaders (HELP) Basuki Hadimuljono, the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz Alshaibani, the Deputy Minister of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, the Executive Director of the Global Commission on Water Economy Henk Ovink and the representative of the World Water Council and former head of the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN) Ahmet Mete Saatçi.

The Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz Alshaibani, explained that water is a political issue and therefore requires strong political will. 

"Since 2016, Saudi Arabia has introduced the National Water Strategy to guide the management of water resources. In addition, efforts are being made to utilize renewable resources, non-conventional approaches or methods and to address challenges appropriately," Abdulaziz said.

"Water issues require cooperation and funding at regional and global levels to promote the emergence of concrete results that can be adopted by many countries," he added.

In line with Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Public Works of the Republic of Indonesia, Diana Kusumastuti, emphasized that transformative efforts in water resource management are needed to achieve cooperation and water security. In addition, a commitment to implement the Compendium of Concrete Deliverables agreed at the 10th World Water Forum is needed, as well as the involvement of local communities and local knowledge in water resources management.

"Recognizing that water sources are vital, integrated water sustainability must be taken into a national agenda. This can be achieved through efforts to increase national and international cooperation as well as the provision of funding for the development of sustainable water resources," she added.

Deputy Minister of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard also agreed on the importance of collaborative efforts to ensure water security at national, regional and global levels.

"Sustainability of water resources can support food and energy security and effectively meet national needs. What we need now is policy and regulation that aligns with the interests of the stakeholders of the water sector," Febrian said.

He added that regional and global cooperation is very important to make the water sector a global priority. "So we need an internationally binding agreement. This will allow us to speak with one voice and advocate for the water sector," he added.

HELP Special Advisor Basuki Hadimuljono highlighted the efforts to realize cooperation and security of water resources through the role of Integrated Water Resources Management for Small Islands (IWRM), the Center of Excellence and the Sabo Technical Center.

"Following the Bali Ministerial Declaration and Bandung Spirit, high-level meetings in the water sector are essential as a foundation for water resources management. Cooperation between the government and the private sector at the national and international level is also important to improve capacity and enhance sustainable water management," he said.

The Executive Director of the Global Commission on the Water Economy, Henk Ovink, said that the conferences on the water sector are expected to inspire real action and underline the commitment to prioritize the water sector. "We need comprehensive cooperation at regional and global level to strengthen water resilience and realize the development of the water sector in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," said Henk.

Ahmet Mete Saatçi, representative of the World Water Council and former head of the Turkish Water Institute (SUEN), emphasized that data and information are important components in addressing water challenges. "Integrated water resources management requires comprehensive data. We need cooperation to get data and transparency as a basis for determining the next step," Ahmet concluded.

Overview 10th World Water Forum Follow-up Meeting

The 10th follow-up meeting of the World Water Forum was held in Jakarta on February 27 and 28, 2025 to promote the sustainability of global cooperation in water governance. The event, which was attended by ministerial-level stakeholders, representatives of international organizations and experts from the water sector, formed a bridge between the 10th World Water Forum, which was successfully held in Bali from 18to 25 May 2024, and the 11th World Water Forum, which will be held in Riyadh in 2027.

The two-day follow-up meeting was opened by the President of the World Water Council Loïc Fauchon and the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Water Retno Marsudi and continued with various events, including the presentation of the 10th World Water Forum.

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