A joint statement on the cooperation agreement was inked by Indonesia's Minister of National Development Planning/Head of National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa and Swedish Minister of Infrastructure Thomas Eneroth and Swedish Minister of Environment and Climate Per Bolund in Stockholm on Monday (Oct 25).
During two separate meetings, Minister Suharso discussed Indonesia's plans to develop a blue economy as a new source of economic growth for an inclusive and sustainable Indonesia.
“Sweden and Indonesia share many opportunities and challenges in developing a blue economy as the basis for future economic development. Sweden recently developed a blue economy strategy that includes a blue-growth strategy and marine spatial planning," Suharso noted in a statement on Wednesday.
Blue economy is one of the strategies in Indonesia's Economic Transformation that is currently being redesigned by the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas.
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Ahead of the 2021 Climate Change Conference (COP26), Indonesia and Sweden agreed that as archipelagic nations, blue economy represents enormous potential for economic activity that can be tapped optimally for driving post-COVID-19 recovery and economic transformation for inclusive and sustainable development.
"Indonesia and Sweden have agreed to develop a Roadmap for a Blue Economy, as part of Indonesia's efforts to accelerate economic transformation towards more inclusive and sustainable development," he affirmed.
The blue economy covers various sectors, including fisheries, marine product processing industry, marine logistics, trade, shipbuilding industry, marine tourism, biotechnology, renewable energy, water resource management, and human resources including education and research, among others.
Indonesia and Sweden will start implementation of the Blue Economy cooperation under the Sweden-Indonesia Sustainability Partnership at the end of November 2021.
Leadership on the blue economy will be Indonesia's theme at the G20 event in 2022, and make the blue economy as one of the priorities for discussion at a meeting of the G20 Development Working Group (DWG).
Suharso and the two Swedish ministers also discussed Indonesia's plan to build a new national capital (IKN).
Sweden offered its support in developing a green, smart, and sustainable city.
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Translator: Yashinta DP, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
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