The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP), and the Non-Aligned Movement Center for South-South Technical Cooperation (NAM CSSTC), and held in Banyuwangi, East Java from July 16 to 21.
Some 28 participants from 24 countries participated in the 5-day event at Banyuwangi`s Fisheries Education and Training Center (BPPP), according to a statement released here on Friday.
The activity featured BPPP Banyuwangi experts who shared their expertise regarding environmentally-friendly fishing practices, processing of fishery products and aquaculture, and utilization of the aquaculture system developed in Indonesia.
The event was officially opened through a joint beating of the rebana by the District Head of Banyuwangi, Abdullah Azwar Anas, and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, KKP, and NAM CSSTC at the BPPP Auditorium in Banyuwangi.
In his speech, District Head Abdullah welcomed the participants and expressed his appreciation for the selection of Banyuwangi as the host for the training.
He also emphasized that this opportunity could be utilized to promote the wealth of the marine, fisheries, and tourism sector of Banyuwangi to the event`s participants.
Ambassador Diar Nurbintoro, representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the gathering was part of Indonesia`s technical assistance programs for developing countries within the framework of the South-South Cooperation.
In addition to encouraging cooperation and enhancing bilateral relations with fellow developing countries, Indonesia`s technical assistance programs are also part of the Indonesian Government`s commitment to take the necessary steps to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the areas of food security, sustainable consumption, eradication of hunger, and improving people`s livelihood through the fisheries sector.
The Secretary of the Research and Human Resources Agency for the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, Maman Hermawan, said the Indonesian government wants to encourage all countries around the world, especially South-South Cooperation member nations, to participate in the preservation of the marine environment as well as the sustainability of marine and fisheries resources through environmentally-friendly and responsible fishing techniques and fish cultivation, as an alternative to addressing the needs of non-marine fisheries resources.
The Executive Secretary of NAM CSSTC, Pinkan Ovanita Tulung, who represented the center`s director, said CSSTC NAM`s involvement as one of the event`s organizers was a manifestation of the organization`s vision to strengthen the national capacity and collective independence of developing countries within the South-South cooperation framework.
The activity, which was also an offspring of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by CSSTC NAM and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) on November 28, 2017, is expected to stimulate economic cooperation among participating countries, particularly with Indonesia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to deepening its role and contribution to global welfare and development through technical assistance within the South-South Cooperation framework.
The fisheries sector is one of Indonesia`s leading sectors in terms of capacity building. Many countries flock to Indonesia for training and assistance in capacity development in fisheries, with the Southeast Asian nation providing as many as 441 trainings to 6,083 participants in the last 10 years.
A063/INE
(T.A063/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
