Dushanbe Water Process Monitoring Desk Islamabad
Indonesia has warned that future competition among countries may increasingly center on access to and control over water resources, shifting from earlier conflicts focused on oil and land. Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Arrmanatha Nasir has said water security has emerged as a major test for sustainable development as billions still face limited access to clean water and sanitation.
Indonesia’s involvement in the Dushanbe Water Process (a United Nations-backed initiative hosted by Tajikistan to accelerate global water goals) centers on bridging global water diplomacy with Asia-Pacific priorities. Indonesia uses these platforms to push for urgent water action and share lessons from hosting global water summits.
Indonesian delegates—including Arrmanatha Nasir—actively participated at the event in Dushanbe. They stressed that the growing global water crisis must not just be viewed through a development lens, but also as a potential source of international instability.
Indonesia’s presence in Dushanbe served as a vital regional stepping stone to unify Asia-Pacific perspectives ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference.
The Dushanbe Process has been highly collaborative with Indonesia, as officials from Tajikistan and the UN worked closely with Indonesia to prepare for the landmark 10th World Water Forum held in Bali.
Despite its abundant freshwater, Indonesia faces significant domestic challenges, including polluted groundwater, rapid overuse, and a lack of piped water services for millions in urban centers. Platforms like the Dushanbe Water Process give Indonesia access to international financing models and infrastructure solutions to help manage these local crises.
Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir warned of emerging threats to global water security amid rapid growth in the digital economy.
Speaking at the 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on May 25-28, he warned of a new and underestimated threat to water sustainability.
He said water security has become a strategic pillar of global development and stability as rising demand, climate pressures and industrial expansion reshape geopolitical risks. He said critical mineral mining, AI infrastructure, data centers, and digital industries now consume billions of liters of water daily, with demand doubling every few years.
“Water is the invisible resource powering the digital economy. If managed poorly, it could become the world’s next major crisis. Multilateral system relied upon to address global water challenges is itself facing a crisis, he underlined.
He called for ongoing United Nations reforms to focus more strongly on addressing future water crises. Indonesia championed a UN General Assembly resolution on World Lake Day to support global lake ecosystem protection.
Arrmanatha said Indonesia remains committed to leading regional and global efforts to address water and climate resilience challenges. Since hosting the 10th World Water Forum in Bali in 2024, Indonesia has established a Center of Excellence for Water and Climate Resilience. Over the past two years, Indonesia has provided water and climate resilience training to more than 2,000 participants from over 40 Asia-Pacific countries.
Arrmanatha added that Indonesia is placing water infrastructure at the center of strategic national financing, including through its sovereign wealth fund, Danantara.
At the conference, he outlined four priorities to advance Indonesia’s water commitments: strengthening regional cooperation, increasing strategic investment in the water sector, preparing future water governance in the AI and digital economy era, and accelerating UN reform on global water governance.
“The world has knowledge, capital, and technology. What it lacks is collective political will and an effective multilateral system bold enough to turbocharge action on water,” he said.
Nasir said the water crisis extends beyond environmental challenges, describing it as an issue linked to stability, equity and the future of global governance. He called for more responsive and equitable multilateral cooperation to address mounting global water challenges.
Indonesia also joined an Asia-Pacific preparatory meeting on May 25 focused on strengthening regional cooperation and accelerating progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6. Indonesia has continued expanding its role in global water diplomacy after hosting the 10th World Water Forum in Bali in 2024. Indonesia’s participation underscores water and sanitation as strategic priorities supporting national food security and long-term development goals.
The conference, jointly organized by the government of Tajikistan and the United Nations, aims to accelerate implementation of global water commitments and Sustainable Development Goals. Representatives from 110 countries and 75 international organizations attended the gathering, which also serves as preparation for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi from Dec. 2-4.
