Jakarta, September 14, 2024 — The Europe Today: Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has been appointed as the Special Envoy on Water to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, marking a major step in global efforts to address water-related challenges. Marsudi will assume her new role on November 1, 2024, after concluding her tenure as foreign minister under President Joko Widodo’s administration.
In a statement released on Friday, Marsudi expressed the significance of her upcoming responsibilities, calling her new position “a major mandate to highlight water issues at the global level.” She emphasized her commitment to strengthening partnerships and advancing the global water agenda, including the implementation of the 2023 UN Water Conference outcomes.
Her appointment as special envoy aims to enhance international cooperation, align water-related initiatives, and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation for all by 2030. Marsudi’s responsibilities will include advocating for water issues to become a central item on the global political agenda, both within and outside the United Nations, while also mobilizing funding and action to tackle the global water crisis.
Marsudi underscored the urgent need for action, pointing out that 2.1 billion people worldwide still lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and 4.5 billion people are without safe sanitation services. Failure to address these issues, she warned, would undermine progress in sustainable development, impact peace, and threaten human rights globally.
As the first Indonesian and the first person ever appointed to the post of UN Special Envoy on Water, Marsudi said the position reflects Indonesia’s growing role on the international stage. She noted that her appointment came after consultations with President Joko Widodo, who gave his blessings, and President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who also fully supported her new duties.
Reflecting on her nearly 40 years of diplomatic service and her decade-long experience as Indonesia’s foreign minister, Marsudi vowed to leverage her expertise to effectively champion water-related issues on the global stage.
Her appointment is expected to catalyze further international cooperation and concrete actions in the fight against the global water and sanitation crisis, which remains a pressing issue for sustainable development, peace, and human well-being.
