It was predicted that the 2011's export value of the Coral Triangle's countries reached US$ 4,5 billion. The Coral Triangle, through the tourism sector, could even earned around US$ 12 billion every year. All Those were as stated by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries Affairs, Sharif C. Sutardjo, when opened "The 3rd World Coral Triangle Regional Business Forum", March 24-26, 2013, at Grand Hyatt, Nusa Dua, Bali (March 24).
Due to the promising potential of the region, it requires the strategical approaches to maintain, develop, and consolidate the economic sustainability and growth. Attending the Forum, a wide range of the region-related industries, like the fishery and seafood companies, shipbuilding and shipping industries, and maritime tourism and travel operators. "In the Coral Triangle, all of those industries will share informations about the innovations and the concrete moves needed to decrease the negative impact to the marine environment by adopting more responsible business application," Sharif said.
He further emphasized, for the Coral Triangle countries, particularly Indonesia, which most of the country's area consists of sea, the sustainable development through the 'blue economy' approach is a mandatory. By implementing this approach, it will drive us to manage the natural resources efficiently by the support of the creativity and technological innovations. This concept also teaches us on how to create zero waste products, as well as to address the food threat and the fossil fuel crisis. "Additionally, this concept widely opens a wide range of employments in order to help cut the poverty cycle and convert it into prosperity, and the scarcity into abundance," he explained.
Sharif underlined that the 'blue economy' concept implementation will be well conducted as long as there is a constructive collaboration among the stakeholders. Therefore, it simply requires the partnership support from the communities, private sectors, academics, researchers, development experts, and national and international institutions. Together, they are able to drive and oversee the transformation of the sustainable marine resource utilization as well as to enhance the welfare of the coastal communities. Furthermore, the Forum also provides the larger partnership review and opportunities among public, private, NGOs, local communities, and government sectors in order to enhance the marine resource management. "I am truly convinced that this partnership we're conducting will succeed the implementation of blue economy in the Coral Triangle region, and also prove that by applying blue economy, we can embody the prosperity of communities and the healthy marine ecosystem," he emphasized.
Blue Investment
Sharif asserted that the Governement of indonesia is honoured to host "The Third Coral Triangle Regional Business Forum", where will hold this year's The Coral Triangle Initiatives on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Securities (CTI-CFF). "In such a milestone of the regional maritime sector, we, together, will witness the establishment of the business sector's contribution in the sustainable development through the inovative and creative business solutions, which will not be only profitable, but it will also be environmentally sustainable," he stated.
In the past, the Regional Business Forum was held in Manila in 2010, and then a year later, it was conducted in Kuala Lumpur. The Forum shows that it always paves the way to the "green" investment implementation, or so-called "blue investment", in the Coral Triangle region, especially in the sosio-economic development-oriented multi-sector partnership development. While the two past events the "green economy in a blue world" was the main topic, in the upcoming event, it will tend to present a number of business opportunities where the business sector will respond the increase of demand trend of the environmentally sustainable products or services. "This pattern is referred to the 'blue economy' conception initiated by Mr. Gunter Pauli from "Zero Emission Research and Initiatives"," he explained.
He added that the Government of Indonesia will host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), on November in Bali. In that Forum, Indonesia is expected to show its leadership of promoting the necessary of the joint commitment to the sustainable marine resource management and utilization in the Asia Pasific region. "Through the trade agreements and the regional policies, the member countries are expected to be able to drive and support the 'blue economy' concept implementation in the Asia Pasific region," emphasized Sharif.
For more information, please contact Indra Sakti, SE, MM, The Head of Data, Statistic and Information Center, The Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs. (Ph. 0818159705)
Editor: PR Wire
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