Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said in a statement on Monday that the move follows President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to enhance bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Japan.
"Both parties have agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation in the forestry sector, particularly in supporting climate change mitigation agendas, land degradation rehabilitation, and the management of world-class conservation areas," he remarked.
The agreement was reached during a meeting between Minister Antoni and JICA Senior Vice President Yoshifumi Yoshikawa in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday.
"The meeting was highly constructive. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to expanding existing collaborations while exploring new, more innovative, and impactful opportunities for cooperation," he said.
At the meeting, the minister highlighted the government's strong commitment to mitigating climate change and accelerating the rehabilitation of degraded land for environmental sustainability and improve people's welfare.
Indonesia also outlined its grand vision of developing its conservation areas to become world-class national parks that excel not only in biodiversity protection but also in governance, ecotourism best practices, and contributions to both the local and global economies.
"The Ministry of Forestry invites JICA to join us in strengthening the World Mangrove Center initiative as a bridge for global efforts in mangrove rehabilitation, research, education, and innovation," the minister said.
He expressed hope that this initiative would become an international benchmark for nature-based climate change mitigation and adaptation.
He added that JICA welcomed these initiatives and expressed its readiness to continue supporting Indonesia through technical cooperation, funding, and the exchange of knowledge and technology.
"JICA's support has consistently provided a tangible contribution to various forestry programs in Indonesia, including sustainable forest resource management and institutional capacity building," Antoni said.
The minister further said that Monday's meeting served as a strategic opportunity to strengthen the Indonesia-Japan forestry partnership, as well as underscored the strategic role of international cooperation in addressing global challenges related to climate change and environmental degradation.
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Translator: Arnidhya Nur, Raka Adji
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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