Date:
18 May' 2026Share:
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On 8 April 2026, over 110 participants from government, knowledge institutions, and the private sector joined a webinar dedicated to the evolving water partnership between the Netherlands and Indonesia. Marking 25 years of collaboration under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Water, the session highlighted how this long-standing trust is being translated into large-scale, impactful projects.
The current cooperation is built on a three-level approach integrating policy, governance, and practice across four strategic thematic areas.
1. Integrated Water Resilience
Focused on North Java and Bali, this working group addressed the dual threats of flooding and land subsidence. Key highlights included:
- Water as Leverage (WaL) Semarang: An integrated water management approach based on catchment boundaries rather than administrative borders. This approach promotes inter-agency collaboration and has been recognized at the national level as a model with potential for replication across North Java.
- Bali DRRS (Dutch Disaster Risk Reduction and Surge Support) Deployments: following recent flood events in Bali (September 2025), the importance of rapid flood modelling tools, addressing solid waste issues, and recognizing the leading role of local actors in flood risk management were emphasized.
2. Lowland Development and Irrigation
The focus here was on optimising existing lowland areas to enhance food security, with sustainable water management as a key enabler of agricultural productivity. Upcoming activities on capacity building, e-learning, and the further development of Smart Innovative Water Management (SIWM) for Indonesia’s lowlands were presented.
- Vision: Transitioning toward digital tools and blended learning (combining e-learning with in-person training).
- Expansion: Discussions explored linking Dutch expertise with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s upcoming OLIFS programme to optimize Indonesian lowlands.
3. Knowledge Exchange, Capacity Building & Youth
Acting as the ‘connective tissue’ of the partnership, this group focused on embedding Dutch expertise into local institutions.
- Lifelong Learning: HAS University of Applied Sciences has introduced a framework to transition students into professionals, ensuring knowledge is scalable from now until the end of 2027.
- Expert Database: Participants were encouraged to join the water experts database to streamline future collaborations.
4. Coastal Protection: The ‘Giant Seawall’
With the establishment of the North Java Coastal Protection Authority (BOPPJ), the partnership is supporting President Prabowo’s vision for a resilient coastline. The organization currently has over 100 staff and prioritizes coastal protection for Jakarta and the Semarang region. The project is scheduled to start in late 2026 to early 2027.
- Major Investment: Invest International Public Programmes (IIPP) is preparing a €150–200M investment decision for coastal protection in Demak and Cirebon.
- Nature-based Solutions: Supported by EcoShape, the project explores hybrid ‘green-grey’ infrastructure to protect communities while enhancing local welfare. The outcomes have been translated into landscape visions for both Cirebon and Demak, serving as a foundation for further discussions with the IIPP Develop2Build project.
The coming period offers concrete opportunities for Dutch and Indonesian organizations to engage, with new programmes and funding instruments currently under development.
Looking Ahead
The webinar reaffirmed that the Dutch-Indonesian partnership is moving from an advisory role towards large-scale implementation.
Want to know more about the presentations and reports from this webinar. You can look at them here:
Reports
Working Group 1: Integrated Water Resilience for North Java. Read the report on Working Group 1.
Working Group 2: Lowland development and Irrigation. Read the report on Working Group 2.
Working Group 3: Knowledge, capacity building & youth engagement. Read the report on Working Group 3.
Working Group 4 :Coastal protection. Read the report on Working Group 4.
Presentations
Presentation Plenary Webinar
Presentation Break-out Working Group 1
Presentation Break-out Working Group 2
Presentation Break-out Working Group 3
Presentation Break-out Working Group 4
Partners for Water is a Dutch government programme enhancing water security internationally in long-term cooperation with local partners and the Dutch water sector. By facilitating strategic planning and support in the early stages of innovation, the programme aims to contribute to systemic change for sustainable water management and infrastructure. This is how we initiate impactful changes for a better living environment.
