Jakarta, Rotterdam to Do Joint Flood Management Project
Arientha Primanita. The Jakarta Globe, Jakarta - 08/02/2011
The Jakarta city administration on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the city administration of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, over a joint project in flood management.
Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo and Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb signed the MoU at the City Hall in Jakarta.
“We want to manage the water reservoir because we know the threats of global warming and we know that the Netherlands is very advanced in water management,” Fauzi told reporters.
He added that the joint venture will focus on flood prevention and management.
Aboutaleb said that the two cities will be sharing knowledge and expertise on the matter. He visited North Jakarta on Sunday and said that he saw how the sea affected people's lives.
“Jakarta and Rotterdam face similar challenges. Therefore we want to share our expertise with our ambition to be the world capital of water management, as well as benefit people here at the same time,” he said.
Aboutaleb also said that the Netherlands and the Indonesian government are implementing a study, the “Jakarta Coastal Defense Strategy Study.”