Government Offers Strategic Projects Worth 9.6 Billion US Dollars Related To Water At WWF Bali 2024

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government is offering a strategic project worth a total of 9.6 billion US dollars related to the water issue which is planned to be raised during the implementation of the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) in Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Bali, May 18-25.

"We are preparing any projects and activities that can be offered and become a mutual agreement," said Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Mohammad Zainal Fatah on the sidelines of the 10th WWF preparation coordination meeting in Nusa Dua, Badung Regency, Bali, quoted from Antara, Saturday, April 20.

Even so, he has not provided information on the details of the water-related projects or activities offered during the world event related to water held every three years.

The reason, he continued, is that the project is currently being collected and selected by the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (PPN/Bappenas).

"This has combined many proposals, the value figure is 9.6 billion US dollars in the form of projects, whether it's a project that has been running or a new project whose funding has been placed there," he added.

He hopes that the forum that discusses the future of water needs will produce something concrete considering that water is one of the important problems.

"We want the results (in the 10th WWF) to be a measurable output," he added.

Meanwhile, on the same occasion, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said 193 countries in the world had been scheduled to attend ministerial-level meetings in the forum.

The total delegation at the meeting in Bali is estimated at around 35 thousand people.

"In particular, Indonesia is holding a session of the head of state to increase political commitment, the importance of dealing with water, food and energy in the future is a serious problem in the world," said Luhut.

Luhut added that the 10th WWF was also planned to be attended by officials at the level of the last head of state as of Saturday who had confirmed that eight heads of state were present.

However, he still has not provided details of the head of state because it is still moving dynamically.

Indonesia will host the 10th World Water Forum with the theme of water for mutual welfare, after being decided at the World Water Council (WWC) General Assembly in 2022 in Senegal.

WWF is an international meeting that involves a number of stakeholders in the water resources sector, ranging from the government, parliament, political leaders, multilateral institutions, politicians, academics, civil society, business actors, and so on.

The 10th WWF carries six main sub-themes, namely water security and well-being, water for humans and nature, reduction and management of disaster risk, governance, cooperation, and hydro-democracy, sustainable water financing, and knowledge and innovation.