UN Special Envoy on Water Retno Marsudi Advocates “Triple A” Strategy to Tackle Global Water Challenges
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: In a pivotal address at the 40th UN-Water Meeting held in New York, UN Special Envoy on Water Retno Marsudi introduced a three-pronged approach to address pressing global water issues. Marsudi, who officially began her mandate on November 1, 2024, emphasized the need for “Triple A: Advocacy, Align, and Accelerate” to drive progress on water and sanitation efforts worldwide, as outlined by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Marsudi underscored the importance of advocacy among stakeholders, particularly to ensure that political commitments translate into tangible action. “Advocacy is very much needed to ensure that water becomes the highest political agenda,” noted the former Indonesian foreign minister, highlighting her commitment to elevate water issues to priority status across national and international agendas.
The second pillar, “Align,” stresses the need for interconnectedness among stakeholders. Marsudi called for enhanced coordination to ensure a united effort towards implementing the UN Strategy for Water and Sanitation. This alignment, she stated, is essential for achieving shared goals and maximizing the impact of water-related initiatives.
Addressing the urgency of water challenges, Marsudi’s final pillar, “Accelerate,” calls for an expedited approach within the UN system to avoid complacency in critical areas of water and sanitation. “The UN must move away from a ‘business as usual’ approach, especially under such critical conditions,” she emphasized.
The urgency is underscored by looming deadlines, including the UN 2026 Water Conference, the 2028 Water Action Decade, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Marsudi acknowledged that efforts to tackle these issues face significant obstacles, namely limited resources and time.
The UN-Water Meeting, a biennial event designed to coordinate efforts among all UN agencies on water issues, took place on November 4-5, 2024, drawing over 130 participants from various UN-Water members and partners. Marsudi’s presence at the meeting was a milestone in her new role as the UN Special Envoy on Water, a position she holds with the goal of driving international collaboration on critical water and sanitation challenges.
