Jokowi Invites The World To Realize Inclusive And Sustainable Water Governance

President Joko Widodo and World Water Council President Lo bigc Fauchon officially opened the 10th World Water Forum Summit (KTT) in Bali/ANTARA/HO-Biro Press of the Presidential Secretariat

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo invites heads of state to the World Water Forum Summit or the 10th World Water Forum as a momentum in realizing inclusive and sustainable water management.

President Jokowi said the world's largest water forum must revitalize real action and joint commitment by sharing knowledge, encouraging innovative solutions and realizing integrated water resource management.

"This is to strengthen commitment and formulate concrete actions related to inclusive and sustainable water management," said President Jokowi when opening the 10th World Water Forum High Level Meeting (HLM) as reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 20.

The President emphasized that water plays an important and central role for human life. In fact, so important that water is referred to as the next oil or oil in the future.

Likewise, from an economic point of view. Lack of water, said President Jokowi, can slow economic growth by up to 6 percent to 2050.

Therefore, in front of the 10th World Water Forum participants, President Jokowi revealed that in the last 10 years, Indonesia has strengthened water infrastructure, such as building 42 dams, 1.18 million hectares of irrigation networks.

Then, the government has also rehabilitated about 4.3 million hectares of irrigation networks and built 2,156 kilometers of flood control and coastal safety.

Indonesia is also using water to build the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant (PLTS). This PLTS is the largest in Southeast Asia.

"However, all of these efforts are not enough. The problem of water and sanitation will be even more severe in the future. This effort must be strengthened at the global level, both by the state, the private sector, and the civil society," said the President.

In this high-level meeting, Indonesia appointed four new initiatives, namely the determination of World Lake Day, the establishment of a Center of Excellence in the Asia Pacific Region for water and climate security, sustainable water management in small island countries, and water projectraising to ensure political commitments become real action.

"Water is not just a natural product, but a collaborative product that connects and unites us. Preserving water is our collective responsibility," said President Jokowi closing his remarks.

Previously, the President of the World Water Council, Lo bigc Fauchon, encouraged heads of state and delegates present to incorporate water rights into the constitution, laws and regulations in their respective countries. This will accelerate the realization of justice for access to water and sanitation around the world.

"So, step by step, we can propose that the right to access water can be enforced for everyone," he said.

Lo wayc Fauchon revealed that his party will introduce the Moon for Water coalition at the upcoming United Nations conference and invite all countries to join. The coalition includes sub-agreeship and cancellation of water debt for the poorest countries in the world.

"We want to ensure that most climate funding is basically water-specified, including wastewater", Lo townc said.

Lo worryc calls for international action to ensure more active and decentralized governance based on multilateral cooperation.

"As we do in this forum, which is also important to strengthen mediation rules for rivers, lakes and watersheds. Water diplomacy actually brings peace on the banks, instead of bringing war to the river," he said.

In addition, hydro-diplomacy is a concrete and creative step in managing cross-border water resources.

As a result of the forum, the Minister's Declaration of three national interests of Indonesia will be ratified, namely proposing World Lake Day, establishing a Center of Excellence for water and climate security, and raising the issue of integrated water resource management on small islands.

In addition to opening a High Level Meeting, President Joko Widodo is also scheduled to make a visit to Tahura Ngurah Rai, Bali with the leaders of the country and the 10th World Water Forum delegation.