The Indonesian government will propose strategic water-related projects worth US$9.6 billion at the 10th World Water Forum (WWF), which will take place from May 18–25, 2024, in Bali. “We are preparing projects and activities that can be proposed and be mutual agreements,” secretary general of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, Mohammad Zainal Fatah, said on the sidelines of the 10th WWF coordination meeting here on Saturday. However, Fatah did not provide more details on the projects or activities that will be proposed for the WWF. He informed that the projects are currently being curated and selected by the Ministry of National Development Planning. “These are from the combination of many proposals; the value is US$9.6 billion in the form of projects, whether projects that are already running or new projects,” he said. He expressed the hope that the forum, which will discuss the future of water needs, will produce concrete outcomes considering the importance of the issue of water. On the same occasion, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said that representatives from 193 countries are scheduled to attend the ministerial meetings of the forum. In total, around 35 thousand delegates will attend the 10th WWF. Pandjaitan added that the 10th WWF is also expected to be attended by heads of state. As of Saturday, eight heads of state have confirmed their attendance. However, he did not provide further details about them. Indonesia was chosen to host the 10th WWF, themed "Water for Shared Prosperity," during the General Assembly of the World Water Council (WWC) in Senegal in 2022. WWF is an international meeting that involves stakeholders in the water resources sector, such as governments, parliaments, political leaders, multilateral institutions, politicians, academicians, civil society, business players, and others. The upcoming forum will cover six sub-themes: water security and prosperity; water for humans and nature; disaster risk reduction and management; governance, cooperation, and hydro diplomacy; sustainable water finance; and knowledge and innovation. (ICE GIACARTA)

Fonte notizia: Antara News - 20 April 2024