The 10th World Water Forum will be held in Bali from 18-25 May

Indonesia is once again appointed as a host for an international conference in 2024. After the big success of the G20 Summit in 2022, the 10th World Water Forum will be held in Nusa Dua, Bali. The biggest water conference in the world, co-hosted by the World Water Council, will be attended by around 30,000 people.

So, what is the World Water Forum and how important is this event, held every three years for the world’s water crises?

The History of the World Water Forum

The first World Water Forum (WWF) was held in Marrakech, Morocco in 1997 but, before its inauguration, the global water issues had been in conversation since the 1980s. It wasn’t until 1992 that the discussions of water became more serious; notably, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.  The crisis of water sources prompted professionals and stakeholders to establish two leading international organisations.

The World Water Council (WWC) and Global Water Partnership (GWP) were founded in 1996 with two distinctive purposes. The WWC consists of water specialists and international organisations to deal with water issues, while several international funding organisations created the GWP to manage water problems in developing countries. These two organisations have overseen the World Water Forum every three years. The key discussion areas include water management, water problems, and water solutions among participants and stakeholders to ensure that concrete actions are taken to solve the world’s water problems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization has projected that, in 2050, the world will be facing a water crisis that will impact food supply. So, this forum is required to prevent this from happening.

The Main Process of the 10th World Water Forum 2024

The forum has grown since its inception as the water problems that the world faces in recent years have also become more complex. Although the forum is organised by the WWC and Indonesia as a water council and a host, respectively, there are three key processes all the stakeholders need to adhere to before the actual event takes place.

1. The Thematic Process consists of six sub-themes to be discussed to find the common goals. The sub-themes are related to sustainability, innovation, risk management, and water prosperity.
2. The Regional Process tackles the issue of water management in the Asia Pacific, America, Africa, and the Mediterranean, requiring a thorough regional approach and practice.
3. The Political Process clearly incorporates the politics involved, relating to multilateral institutions like governments, parliaments, and local authorities to discuss policies regarding water management.

The 10th World Water Forum is held in Bali: Water for Shared Prosperity

The main topic of the World Water Forum 2024 in Indonesia is Water for Shared Prosperity. The forum brings together participants from around 172 countries, featuring stakeholders, academia, and media, among others. The preparation, development, and phase of the forum have all been finalised, and Indonesia has invited the heads of state of 44 countries to attend the conference.

There are four main discussions scheduled for the 10th WWF, which include water conservation, clean water and sanitation, food and energy security, and mitigation of natural disasters. These issues will bring together participants from all levels to share their experiences, ideas, and challenges in pursuit of solutions.

Indonesia, as a host country, will bring up a few agendas related to worldwide water issues. Some of these agendas include proposing a World Lakes Day as part of the forum declaration to be discussed further by the United Nations, as well as Indonesia’s commitment to addressing water resource management challenges globally.

During the event, police will be stationed not only around the building where the forum takes place, but also in the Nusa Dua area, especially around BNDCC. The regional police have stated that they will station over 5,000 personnel from 17 to 26 May 2024 due to the forum’s large number of participants and the press that will cover the event.