The “10th World Water Forum Follow-up Meeting: From Bali to Riyadh to Beyond” took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, from February 27 to 28, 2025. The 10th World Water Forum Indonesia Secretariat and the World Water Council (WWC) co-hosted this event. While the World Water Forum has been held ten times since its inception in 1997, this marked the first time a follow-up meeting was organized after the forum’s conclusion.

As a member of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum and the overall coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Regional Process at the 10th World Water Forum, I was honored to be invited by the co-organizers to participate in this meeting. During the event, I presented the outcomes of the Asia-Pacific Regional Process and joined discussions as a panelist.

1. Opening Ceremony (February 27)

The opening ceremony featured remarks from key representatives:

• Loïc Fauchon, President, WWC
• Diana Kusumastuti, Vice Minister of Public Works, Indonesia
• Abdulaziz Alshaibani, Vice Minister for Water, Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA), Saudi Arabia

Ms. Diana Kusumastuti highlighted Indonesia’s progress in water diplomacy and its commitment to enhancing water access and resilience through large-scale infrastructure projects. She underscored the success of the National Strategic Project for Water Resources Management, which includes dam construction, irrigation system improvements, and water treatment facilities. She emphasized Indonesia’s potential to lead in global water diplomacy by integrating climate-resilient infrastructure planning, prioritizing SDG 6 in water policies, leveraging digital technologies for water monitoring and management, and implementing integrated solutions for urban and rural areas.

Following these remarks, keynote speeches were delivered by:

• Retno L.P. Marsudi, UN Special Envoy on Water
• Loïc Fauchon,President, WWC
• Ayodhia G.L. Kalake, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Indonesia

Ms. Retno L.P. Marsudi stressed the importance of carrying forward the messages of the 10th World Water Forum into future forums. She highlighted the significance of collaboration between the UN, which sets global norms, and the WWC, which engages multi-stakeholders to drive concrete actions, reinforcing the implementation of water-related initiatives.

2. High-Level Dialogue

A high-level dialogue titled “Prospects for Global Water Diplomacy: Innovation, Policy, and Global Commitment for the Future” explored key successes and challenges. Panelists included:

• Diana Kusumastuti, Vice Minister of Public Works, Indonesia
• Febrian Alfianto Ruddyard, Vice Minister, National Development Planning Agency, Indonesia
• Basuki Hadimuljono, Special Advisor to the High-Level Panel on Water and Disaster (Former Minister of Public Works and Housing, Indonesia)
• Abdulaziz Alshaibani, Vice Minister for Water, MEWA, Saudi Arabia
• Henk Ovink, Secretary-General/International Chair of the “Economics of Water”
• Ahmet Saatci, Chair, WWC Task Force on “Water and Health”

Dr. Basuki Hadimuljono emphasized the need for integrated water resource management on small islands and highlighted Indonesia’s Center of Excellence on Water and Climate Resilience at the Sabo Technology Center in Yogyakarta. He stressed the importance of high-level meetings in advancing global water governance, as outlined in the Bali Ministerial Declaration and the Bandung Spirit from the 10th World Water Forum. He also underscored the critical role of public-private partnerships in building sustainable water management solutions.

Dr. Henk Ovink called for water-related conferences to move beyond discussions and drive tangible actions, fostering regional and global cooperation to enhance water resilience and align with the SDGs.

3. Introduction of the 10th World Water Forum Report and Water Warrior’s Guide

On the afternoon of the first day, representatives from the WWC and the 10th World Water Forum Secretariat presented an overview of the final report and Water Warrior’s Guide.

4. Panel Discussion about “Regional Ripple Effect: Amplifying Local Practices for Global Water Solutions”

Regional Process coordinators from the Asia-Pacific, Americas, Mediterranean, and Africa regions shared key achievements and initiatives launched during the 10th World Water Forum. They discussed best practices, lessons learned, and strategies for scaling up successful initiatives to other regions and within a global hydro-diplomacy framework.

Asia-Pacific Regional Process and Panel Discussion

As the Overall Coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Regional Process, I presented the discussion outcomes and key messages, aligned with the five guiding principles and six key priorities of the Asia-Pacific Regional Process. I also highlighted multi-stakeholder initiatives, including:

• Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) activities
• Pacific Partnership for Atoll Water Security
• Fourth Aral Sea Basin Assistance Program (ASBP-4)

During a panel discussion on “Up-scaling local solutions,” I introduced the Pacific Partnership for Atoll Water Security, an initiative launched in 2014 to enhance water security in small island developing states (SIDS). This initiative focuses on:

• Regional collaboration and knowledge sharing
• Adaptive water management
• Scalable technology solutions (e.g., rainwater harvesting, desalination, solar-power purification)
• Policy enhancement and governance
• Financing mechanisms
• Community engagement and capacity building

I emphasized its potential application to other water-vulnerable, low-lying regions, such as the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean.

At the panel discussion’s conclusion, the moderator asked about sustaining inter-regional collaboration. I highlighted the crucial role of political will and emphasized the Asia-Pacific Water Summit, led by the APWF, as a key platform for ongoing dialogue and action.

5. Thematic Process Outcomes (February 28)

On the second day, thematic process coordinators and the alternatives presented outcome reports on six sub-themes, sharing recommendations and progress on post-Forum initiatives.

Furthermore, Dr. Abdulaziz Ali Alqahtani, Director General of Studies and Water Resources Modeling and Research at MEWA, Saudi Arabia, joined the discussion. He summarized Indonesia’s contributions and expressed enthusiasm for leveraging these achievements at the 11th World Water Forum in Riyadh.

6. Closing Ceremony

The closing ceremony featured remarks from key stakeholders:

• Benedito Braga, Honorary President, WWC
• Lilik Retno Cahyadiningsih, Director-General of Water Resources, Ministry of Public Works, Indonesia
• Abdulaziz Alshaibani, Deputy Minister for Water, MEWA Saudi Arabia
• Loic Fauchon, President, WWC
• Diana Kusumastuti, Vice-Minister of Ministry of Public Works, Indonesia

Prof. Benedito Braga stressed that strengthening water diplomacy is not solely about formal agreements but also about open knowledge sharing and mutual understanding. He highlighted the need for cross-sectoral learning from food and energy security, biodiversity conservation, financing mechanisms, governance, and public-private partnerships to address emerging water challenges. He emphasized the need to break down institutional barriers and actively strengthen cooperation with greater boldness.

Ms. Lilik Retno Cahyadiningsih outlined key follow-up actions, including implementing the 10th Forum’s outcomes, strengthening international cooperation, and bridging from Bali to Riyadh with action-oriented strategies.

Dr. Abdulaziz Alshaibani reaffirmed Indonesia’s, the WWC’s, and Saudi Arabia’s joint commitment to implementing sustainable water solutions through continued collaboration.

7. Conclusion

This follow-up meeting played a crucial role in bridging the 10th and 11th World Water Forums, ensuring that the commitments made in Bali translate into tangible progress in Riyadh and beyond. The discussions underscored the urgent need for collaboration, innovation, and decisive action to tackle global water challenges.

Furthermore, the Indonesian government and key organizations reaffirmed their commitment to proactively and solutions-oriented addressing domestic water issues.

Building on the outcomes of the 10th World Water Forum and this follow-up meeting, the Japan Water Forum remains dedicated to driving concrete actions for sustainable and inclusive water management while strengthening international cooperation.

(Reported by Yumiko Asayama, Chief Manager )