Chief Council president Mtshane in Indonesia for water Forum

NATIONAL Council of Chiefs president, Senator Chief Mtshane Khumalo, is in Indonesia attending the 10th World Water Forum, which kicked off on Monday and will run up until Wednesday.

Organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Forum was officially opened by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday morning.

It is running under the theme: “Water for Shared Prosperity.”

The World Water Forum is the world’s largest event on water, organized every three years. It brings together the global water community and key decision-makers to promote collective progress on addressing urgent water issues.

Parliamentarians from around the world will have the opportunity to promote legislation to address water scarcity, enhance parliamentary cooperation on expanding access to safe water, and mobilize action on water for global security and prosperity.

“I am in Indonesia for the water forum where we will be discussing on a number of issues to do with water conservation at a time the world is also faced with climate change challenges,” said Chief Mtshane in an interview.

In his opening remarks, President Widodo presented the Balinese Subak Irrigation System, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2012 in recognition of its cultural, historical and ecological significance.

“The Indonesian people attach cultural value to water, including the Subak system in Bali, which has been practiced since the 11th century and is recognized as a world heritage site,” he said.

“Moreover, for the Balinese, water is a wealth that contains spiritual and cultural values that must be managed together,” said President Widodo.