Mayor of South Kalimantan's Banjarmasin, Ibnu Sina, stated when contacted from Banjarmasin on Wednesday that participants of the global forum drew attention to issues related to water and waste in rivers passing by multiple regions.
"The 10th WWF provides inputs, encouraging all districts, cities, and provinces that are connected by a single river to collaborate. For instance, South Kalimantan has Martapura River whose banks stretch along various districts and cities," he remarked.
In addition to Martapura River, he said regional leaders in Asia-Pacific attending the forum also paid attention to similar rivers in Kalimantan, namely Mahakam River in East Kalimantan, Barito River in Central Kalimantan, and Kapuas River in West Kalimantan.
"Since its inauguration by Mr. President Joko Widodo, the forum has featured a range of activities. I myself had the opportunity to exchange information on water with fellow Asia-Pacific regional heads," he pointed.
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During the forum, Sina noted that the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) provided the Banjarmasin Municipal Government with inputs and suggestions concerning quality management of waste water.
The mayor remarked that his government would learn and apply several suggestions related to the management of Martapura River while noting that the Indonesian central government has pushed for collaboration among regions.
"All Indonesian regions, especially those passed by major rivers, were urged to unite," he stated.
He then expressed hope that this year's triennial forum, themed "Water for Shared Prosperity," would serve as a momentum for regional governments to forge cooperation in properly managing waste water and sanitation.
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Translator: Tumpal A/Hasan Z, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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