Indonesia - China strengthen cooperation on dam development
This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Investor Daily - Indonesia - Tiongkok perkuat kerja sama pengembangan bendungan
12 September 2023
By: Amrozi Amenan & Tri Murti
Jakarta - The governments of Indonesia and China are ready to strengthen their cooperation in dam development following the meeting between Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono and China Water Resources Minister Li Guoying on Monday (11/9/2023).
At the bilateral meeting that is part of his visit to attend XVIII World Water Congress in Beijing in China, Minister Basuki said that there were collaboration and cooperation opportunities with the Chinese government regarding water resources infrastructure development, especially dams.
“The Chinese government, until late 2022, has at least 98,000 dams. It is a good example for Indonesia to be self-reliant in food,” Minister Basuki said in his official statement that was received by Investor Daily on Monday (11/9/2023).
Minister Basuki is also inviting the Chinese government to schedule site visits to three large dam construction locations in Indonesia. The dams are Jenelata Dam in South Sulawesi, Riam Kiwa Dam in South Kalimantan, and Pelosika Dam in Southeast Sulawesi.
“The Indonesian government wants the Chinese government to ensure their quality as well as explore the technologies and the innovations that can be implemented in dam development in Indonesia,” Minister Basuki added.
On the other hand, Water Resources Directorate General of the PUPR Ministry is allocating a budget of Rp21.56 trillion in 2024 to construct 23 dams and revitalise several lakes. The 23 dams include 15 ongoing dams that are set to be completed in 2024, 7 ongoing dams that will continue to the next fiscal year, and 1 new dam.
“In 2023, the budget for dams reaches Rp13.99 trillion. In 2024, it will increase by 54% to Rp21.56 trillion. We need to complete 15 dams until the end of the 2024. This is the most dams that we will complete in a year since 2015,” Water Resources Director General Bob Arthur said at a hearing with DPR Commission V last week.
Meanwhile, Special Staff to the PUPR Minister for Water Resources Firdaus Ali hopes that the next administration will be more aggressive in constructing dams as the number and the capacity of water resources infrastructure in Indonesia are still limited amid the worsening water crisis. Hence, the strategy of President Joko Widodo’s administration to massively initiate dam construction must be continued.
“If [the dams] are not constructed by the administration [of President Jokowi], we will experience a severe water crisis. So, the next administration must be committed to building more. If they can, the number of dams must be four times the number that Jokowi built,” Firdaus Ali said to Investor Daily said.
At the start of President Jokowi’s administration, Indonesia had 233 dams. Currently, the government has successfully completed 36 dams from the target to construct 66 dams. Hence, if the 66 dams can be completed in Jokowi’s administration era, Indonesia will have a total of 299 dams.
“However, that number is still far below other countries, such as India that has 1,500 dams, Japan that has 3,000 dams, the United States of America that has 6,000 dams, and China that has 110,000 dams,” he said.
World Water Forum
Furthermore, at the bilateral meeting yesterday, Minister Basuki invited the Chinese government to participate and send delegations to the largest forum in the water resources sector, which is the 10th World Water Forum that will be held in Bali in Indonesia in 2024.
China Water Resources Minister Li Guoying said that his agency was open to cooperate in sustainable water management as it can affect economic, social, and environmental conditions.
“We also want to congratulate Indonesia for the 10th World Water Forum next year. The Chinese government will actively participate and send delegations to attend the 10th World Water Forum,” Li Guoying added.
Meanwhile, PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono is emphasising the importance of realising the sixth sustainable development goal (SDG), which is access to water and sanitation for all by 2030. According to him, the availability of water resources is an important issue all over the world as global water demand continues to rise, but the availability and the quality of water is worsening due to condition of the environment and climate change.
“Hence, the effort to achieve the 6th SDG is a significant step towards sustainable water,” Minister Basuki said at the opening of XVIII World Water Congress in Beijing in China earlier this week.
