We welcome international research cooperation because at one point, we need to improve our research capacity in a short time by increasing networking.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Research and Technology Minister, Bambang PS Brodjonegoro, said Indonesia is keen on international partnerships on marine biodiversity research.

“We welcome international research cooperation because at one point, we need to improve our research capacity in a short time by increasing networking, and at the same time, we are in the middle of global competition,” Bambang said at the International Symposium on Coastal and Marine Biodiversity (ISCOMBIO) 2020, held online on Thursday.

Bambang said research on marine and coastal biodiversity needs to improve to protect the ecosystem and its biodiversity.

Joint research, he continued, both at the national and international level, is an important solution on account of the limited number of marine biologists and taxonomists evincing interest in studying coastal and marine biodiversity.

"Indonesia cannot do the research alone. Hence, we need to cooperate with experts and institutions that specialize on the deep sea," he said.

Marine biodiversity plays a crucial role in human life and needs further exploration, he added. Some portion of the country’s economic growth has been achieved from marine wealth, he remarked.

The minister expressed hope the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) would expand its collaboration with various global institutions and experts with interest in marine biodiversity.

LIPI head Laksana Tri Handoko said the mysteries of marine life are yet to be explored optimally as the development of science and technology in the sector is less advanced compared to land-based research.

Indonesia as a mega biodiversity hotspot, with its waters covering 70 percent of the total territory, has immense and promising potential for exploration and preservation of marine and coastal resources that could contribute to the country's foreign exchange, Handoko stated.

LIPI has invited young researchers to join and explore Indonesia's marine and coastal potential, especially the deep sea.

"LIPI has a strong commitment to support research and development in Indonesia's biodiversity by improving research facilities. We have started the construction of a biodiversity laboratory, big data facility, and research vessels," Handoko informed. (INE)

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Translator: Martha HS, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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