PRESS RELEASE

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA TEAM OF THE 10^TH WORLD WATER FORUM

NO.129/SP/TKM-WORLDWATERFORUM2024/05/2024

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Indonesia to Enhance Local Governments' Role in Ensuring Access to Clean Water

The Indonesian government is focused on encouraging local governments to provide water infrastructure for communities, even in remote areas, and on ensuring access to clean water and proper sanitation.

Indonesian Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Minister Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) conveyed this during the Local Process session at the 10^th World Water Forum at Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center, Bali, on Wednesday, 22 May.

Indonesian Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, World Water Council President Loic Fauchon, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) President Ugur Ibrahim Altay, and Moroccan Equipment and Water Minister Nizar Baraka attended this session.

“Local governments must provide all communities equal access to water and sanitation. They must ensure that everyone has equal, safe, affordable, and adequate access to water for household and industrial needs,” said Agus.

Furthermore, he stated that maintaining water resilience is crucial for the sustainability of future generations. Water management must always be handled properly for the people’s welfare.

Therefore, he urged local governments to ensure access to water and improve infrastructure for water welfare in line with the 10^th World Water Forum theme.

Minister Tito Karnavian expressed similar sentiments, stating that the challenges related to water needs will increase in the future as climate change has a real impact on human life.

“The local process at the 10th World Water Forum is crucial for enhancing interregional collaboration on water management in each area. From the experiences of Indonesia and other countries, we certainly need to provide guidelines so that local governments can align with our national regulations,” he said.

One of the prominent local processes at the World Water Forum is Subak, an organization of farmers in Bali that specifically regulates traditional rice field irrigation management or systems.

The Subak system, managed by the traditional communities of Bali through irrigation mechanisms based on the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana (the balance and harmony between humans, nature, and God), is considered a prime example of harmonizing the relationship between water and humans.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Indonesian Government are committed to conserving and preserving the Subak system as part of the world's cultural heritage. (Tabitha Angelica/Ayu Sulistyowati/Firda Puri/TR/Elvira Inda Sari/WW/Flow)

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For further information, please contact:

Director General of Public Information and Communications of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics – Usman Kansong (0816785320).

PCO of the 10^th World Water Forum – Dede Ariwibowo – (08111830020)

For other news and information, please visit https://infopublik.id/kategori/world-water-forum and https://s.id/worldwaterforumpedia.