Coordinating Minister AHY Invites Netherlands to Enhance Cooperation in Water Management Sector
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has invited the Netherlands to enhance cooperation in the water sector and expressed Indonesia’s openness to establishing new partnerships in this area.
“Indonesia welcomes investments, innovations, and knowledge exchanges with the Netherlands in smart water and research cooperation that connects our future generations of engineers with the Netherlands,” said AHY during the celebration of King’s Day at the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to AHY, the Netherlands is one of the most advanced countries in the world in water management and related infrastructure development, such as dams, canals, and water management systems.
He highlighted various initiatives that have been established between Indonesia and the Netherlands in the water sector, including the coastal recovery and mangrove restoration project in Demak and the North Java coast.
“This provides the best solutions in Semarang to address land subsidence, flooding, and water scarcity,” stated the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure.
Additionally, river basin restoration in East Java, low-lying agricultural recovery in Central Kalimantan, and the joint Ocean Cleanup initiative to reduce plastic pollution in the seas, said AHY.
AHY stated that these projects demonstrate that bilateral cooperation with the Netherlands, particularly in the water sector, which has been ongoing for the last 25 years, has yielded real results with tangible impacts on Indonesian communities.
“We have spent a quarter of a century sharing expertise, implementing joint projects, and building trust in rivers, coasts, and communities in Indonesia,” remarked the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure.
He hopes that cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands in the water sector will continue and further foster confidence to establish bilateral collaborations in other sectors.
On the same occasion, the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Marc Gerritsen, announced the signing of a bilateral grant agreement last week to fund a pilot project for coastal area protection in Demak and Cirebon.
The Dutch Embassy also launched the “green batik” initiative, involving Dutch water experts, to encourage the batik industry in Pekalongan to become more environmentally friendly, said Gerritsen.