Enviro News Asia, Tokyo — The Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia held a strategic meeting with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the forestry sector, following directives from President Prabowo Subianto to enhance Indonesia–Japan relations.
The meeting brought together Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni and JICA Senior Vice President Yoshifumi Yoshikawa, alongside senior officials from both sides. Discussions focused on advancing collaboration in climate change mitigation, land degradation rehabilitation, and the development of world-class conservation areas.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to expanding existing partnerships while exploring new, innovative, and impactful areas of cooperation. The Indonesian government emphasized its strong commitment to tackling climate change and accelerating land restoration efforts as part of broader environmental sustainability and community welfare goals.
During the meeting, Indonesia also presented its vision to develop World Class National Parks, aiming to enhance biodiversity protection, governance standards, ecotourism practices, and contributions to local and global economies.
In addition, Indonesia invited JICA to support the development of the World Mangrove Center, envisioned as a global hub for mangrove ecosystem rehabilitation, research, education, and innovation. The initiative is expected to play a significant role in nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation.
JICA welcomed these initiatives and expressed readiness to continue supporting Indonesia through technical cooperation, funding mechanisms, and knowledge and technology exchange. The agency’s longstanding contributions have supported sustainable forest management and institutional capacity building across Indonesia.
The meeting marked an important milestone in strengthening Indonesia–Japan forestry cooperation and highlighted the critical role of international partnerships in addressing global challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation. (*)
