1st Asia-Pacific Water Summit; Why an APWF?
The Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) was initially proposed by the participants during the 4WWF Regional Preparatory Process that was coordinated by the Japan Water Forum (JWF). During the Ministerial Meeting that lead to the Joint Declaration, the establishment of the APWF was supported by several agencies in the region, including ADB, UNESCAP, GWP, KWF, SOPAC, JBIC, MRC, FAO, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNISDR and IUCN.
In calling for the creation of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF), the region's water ministers sought to establish an effective mechanism to encourage more collaborative efforts on water resources management and to accelerate the process of effective integration of water resources management into the socio-economic development process of the Asian and Pacific region. On the Asia-Pacific Day at the 4WWF, the establishment of the APWF was announced by Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto, the President of Japan Water Forum.
The APWF was officially launched on the 27th of September 2006 at the headquarters of the Asian Development Bank, in the presence of former Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihiro Mori, who succeeded Mr. Hashimoto as the President of Japan Water Forum.
