The Role ofthe Asia Pacific Water Forum
Ravi Narayanan

Chair, Governing Council, Asia Pacific Water Forum

Myanmar Delegates and APWF Members, 3rd APWS

9JWF Water Jounal

Synthesis of Asia-Pacific regional process, 8th World Water ForumThe Asia Pacific Water Forum (APWF) has played aunique role in advancing water security in the Asia Pacificregion since it was set up in 2006. This uniqueness has
several features of importance.
First, it was set up at the suggestion of the assembled
Water Resources Ministers of the region at the fourthWorld Water Forum in New Mexico in 2006 as a network
to promote regional cooperation and share knowledge andexperience in the water sector. Thus it not only had a broad
basis of support from the Ministers, it benefitted from thevisionary leadership of the late Mr. Hashimoto, a former
Prime Minister of Japan. This was hugely strengthened by
the unanimous decision of several influential organizations
including the Asian Development Bank to request Mr.
Yoshiri Mori, another former Prime Minister of Japan tobecome the President of the APWF and for the Japan Water
Forum to provide the secretariat for this initiative. Theseearly decisions gave the APWF a strong foundation andhave since helped in maintaining a sense of continuity.
Second, from the beginning a decision to broad base theleadership of the Governing Council with members fromSingapore, Indonesia and India (now also from China) gave
the APWF a pan Asian identity which has been enormously
helpful in strengthening its legitimacy as a truly regional
entity. This has been further helped by the decision tokeep the APWF as a lightly administered network with aconsensual approach to decision making which has not only
helped its reputation as lean entity but has also allowed thefree and open participation of a number of internationally
reputed organizations in its activities. The support ofSingapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB) to support andhost the regular
Governing Council meetings is of great significance.
Third, the APWF has been and continues to be a focused
network which concentrates its efforts, energies andresources on a few key initiatives.
The development of the concept of Asia Pacific Water
Summits which seek the commitment of the top politicalleadership of the region to advancing water security in thecountries region has had a big impact, particularly since
three Summits have been held in Beppu, Japan in 2007,
Chiang Mai in Thailand in 2013 and Yangon in Myanmar
in 2017 which have had the backing and support of thehighest level of political leadership in the host countries.
The role of coordinator of the region at four World
Water Forums (in Turkey, France and Korea) since its

establishment in 2006 has given the APWF a recognition as
the natural focal point for the region’s engagement in water
related issues.
The role of the APWF in working with the AsianDevelopment Bank and other regional partners in theregion in the development of three editions of the Asian
Water Development Outlook has helped to promote ananalytical basis for assessing water security in every
country in the region, big or small.
These features have raised the profile of the APWF andsome new opportunities for furthering its objectives haveemerged. Among them is the new responsibility of acting
as the coordinator of the Focus on Asia sessions at theprestigious Stockholm World Water Week. The engagementof a number of crucial ministries of Japan in the third Asia
Pacific Water Summit in Yangon is very important since
Japan has not only so much experience and knowledge tooffer in all aspects of water security, Japan’s support todeveloping countries in strengthening their water security
plans and projects is unmatched by any other country.
These new opportunities as well the continued attention
to existing commitments will be addressed provided werecognize the value of those attributes which have helped
the APWF to progress to where it is today.
Surely the most important one has been the sheer
commitment and hard work that has been and continues
to be put in by the small and dedicated members of theAPWF secretariat, actively supported by the leadershipof the Japan Water Forum. As Mr. Mori remarked at theconclusion of the first Asia Pacific Water Summit in Beppu
in 2007, the achievement of such a big and complex event
by such a small team is truly an enormous tribute to theircommitment and ability. That commitment and thoseabilities have not diminished in any way since then.
The mutual respect and trust that has developed between
the APWF secretariat, the Japan Water Forum and theGoverning Council and members of the APWF is also ofgreat significance as we go forward.
The open style of engagement with members of the APWF
which allows them opportunities to take on leadership roles
in different roles of water security is another important andpositive factor.
These attributes are not found everywhere, which is why
we need to recognize and value them as we look forward to
the challenges that lie ahead.
20th February, 2018

JWF Water Jounal

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