Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – The Ministry of Forestry has reestablished cooperation with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia Foundation after a five-year hiatus. The partnership was officially marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) and the WWF Indonesia Foundation at the Ministry of Forestry office on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, and Deputy Minister of Forestry, Sulaiman Umar.
Minister Raja Antoni welcomed the renewed collaboration, which had been halted for five years. He expressed optimism that the new MoU would lead to a more productive partnership.
“This afternoon, I feel very happy and excited that after a five-year break, the Ministry of Forestry and WWF have finally signed an MoU again. God willing, this will be more productive,” he stated.
Raja Antoni emphasized that his ministry remains open to collaboration with various parties as long as the objectives are productive. He mentioned that the Ministry of Forestry and WWF have many plans for cooperation, with one of the top priorities being the management of land allocated by President Prabowo for an elephant corridor in Aceh.
“With WWF, we have many work plans, including the elephant corridor in Aceh, on land allocated by President Prabowo to be an elephant sanctuary—an elephant corridor—for the betterment of our elephants, our environment, and our forests,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the WWF Indonesia Foundation, Aditya Bayunanda, expressed his delight over the reestablished partnership with the Ministry of Forestry under Raja Antoni’s leadership. Aditya stated that WWF would assist the government in conserving and managing endangered wildlife.
“Of course, our hope is that we can once again contribute to conservation efforts, particularly in managing rare and endangered species. We are establishing this cooperation based on mutual respect and good communication, so we can advance conservation and management efforts in Indonesia,” Aditya said.
He confirmed that the elephant corridor in Aceh would be a top priority for WWF Indonesia following the renewed partnership with the Ministry of Forestry.
“One of our main priorities is indeed in Aceh. The President has instructed that a designated area in Aceh be developed into an elephant sanctuary, covering approximately 20,000 hectares,” Aditya stated.
