"When it comes to WGMAF, Indonesia will come up with several ideas to increase dialogs in the field of maritime affairs and fisheries covering several aspects such as aquaculture, marine tourism, disaster mitigation efforts in coastal areas," head of the Statistical Data and Information Center at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Yulistyo Mudho said in a statement on Tuesday.
The other ideas concerned marine conservation and sustainable development of islets involving local people, he said.
Therefore, in an effort to strengthen cooperation among D-8 countries in the sphere of maritime affairs and fisheries, Indonesia would complete its proposal based on the outcome of the meeting in the next one month, he said.
He said Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad would lead the Indonesian delegation to the meeting. The minister would speak of how to increase Indonesia`s role in D-8 particularly with regard to the maritime and fisheries sector which serves as one of the pillars of food security, he said.
So far, Indonesia had been listed as the biggest aquatic product exporter among the D8 member countries, he said.
In 2007, Indonesia`s aquatic product exports to other D-8 member countries reached US$43.627 million. Pakistan came in second with US$7.145 million and Malaysia in third with US$3.193 million.
D-8 is a group of eight developing countries with large Muslim populations that have formed an economic development alliance. It consists of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.
D-8 was founded on June 15, 1997 with the aim of promoting the bargaining power of its members in the global economy, conserving biodiversity, creating new cooperation in the trade field, and increasing its members` participation in making decisions at international level.
D-8 is based in Turkey with Prof.Dr.Widi Agus Pratikto of Indonesia as its secretary general.(*)
(S012/HAJM/B003).
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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