Sorong, Southwest Papua (ANTARA) - The Southwest Papua Provincial Government called on all indigenous people to protect forests to realize sustainable development in the region.

Head of the province's Environment, Forestry, and Land Office Julian Kelly Kambu remarked here on Monday that sustainable development can be realized if only forests and their cleanliness are maintained.

"The minister of environment and forestry said that there must be more social interaction and communication with the indigenous people's agencies as well as with stakeholders and the government to build environmentally sustainable development," Kambu affirmed.

At the local 41st Forester Service Day commemoration, he stated that the indigenous people's agencies are considered to be development partners in implementing environmentally sustainable development by protecting forest areas for the next generation.

The forest environment must kept clean, safe, and comfortable, so that businesses can run and communities are empowered, he stressed.

In order to support sustainable development from an environmental perspective, his side has disseminated information to development partners and businesses.

He emphasized that businesses should be run in a sustainable, tiered, and structured manner so as to develop mutual understanding.

"(This is) so that our common understanding of sustainable development can be achieved and forest areas can be maintained fully. This is part of what we do," he stressed.

He stated that in Southwest Papua, there are already the Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership Center (PSKL), Climate Change Control (PPI), and some development partners, such as FORCLIME.

"It is our capital and strength to synergize with all indigenous partners to develop and maintain forests (and to determine) which ones we need to protect and the ones we need to develop," he remarked.

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Translator: Yuvensius B, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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