Jakarta --- The Indonesian government is encouraging the establishment of a Global Water Fund at the 10th World Water Forum which will be held on 18-25 May 2024 in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Coordinator of the Sustainable Water Financing Sub-theme of the 10th World Water Forum and Director General of Public Works and Housing Infrastructure Financing of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Herry Trisaputra Zuna explained that the Global Water Fund is very important to respond to budget imbalances.

He also added that this could accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, namely achieving access to clean water and sanitation for all by 2030.

“Currently, there are 2.2 billion people in the world who cannot access clean water. "The Global Water Fund, which is projected for water infrastructure needs, mitigation of water-related crises or disasters, climate change adaptation, as well as monitoring mechanisms, will be a real step to overcome world water problems," said Herry in Jakarta, Tuesday (30/4/2024).

The Indonesian government has also established the Indonesian Water Fund (IWF) as an effort to encourage investment and provide clean water throughout Indonesia.

"IWF is expected to operate funding of up to USD 1 billion for clean water projects," he added.

Chairman of the Secretariat of the National Committee Organizing the 10th World Water Forum and Secretary General of the Ministry of PUPR Muhammad Zainal Fatah added that the results of discussions regarding sustainable water financing and the initiation of the Global Water Fund will become a concept note that will be brought and elaborated on at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali . The three main processes at the forum are political, regional and thematic.

Meanwhile, Director of the Center for Climate Funding and Multilateral Policy, Fiscal Policy Agency, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Boby Wahyu Hernawan said it was important to learn from the experiences of the Pandemic Fund and Green Climate Fund if the proposal to establish a Global Water Fund was agreed at the 10th World Water Forum.

“Responding to the threat of a water crisis by developing a global financing architecture is the right preventive step. Preparedness and introspection are key. "The pandemic has taught us that the costs of unpreparedness will be much higher," he said.

The Indonesian government is carrying out four important missions in the world's largest international water forum, the 10th World Water Forum. These four missions are the presence of a centralized network in the Asia Pacific region specifically aimed at issues of water security, climate change and environmental research.

Next, create relationships with institutions, academics, research organizations and other international institutions. Third, the presence of a consortium that focuses on data centers.

Finally, coordinating and implementing various multi-stakeholder efforts to create a declaration or initiative related to world water problems. Apart from that, the government is also encouraging the establishment of World Lakes Day at the 10th World Water Forum to maintain the sustainability of water resources. (Firda Puri/TR/Elvira Inda Sari)