Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Government of Indonesia and the Government of the United Kingdom have jointly launched Phase 5 of the Multi-Stakeholder Forestry Programme (MFP) to bolster sustainable forest governance and enhance international confidence in Indonesia’s forest-based products.
The launch, supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), continues a strategic partnership between Indonesia and the United Kingdom that began in 2000. MFP Phase 5 reinforces Indonesia’s commitment to transparent, inclusive, and results-oriented forest management and supports the country’s Forest and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 target.
Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, highlighted the programme’s established legacy and future direction during the launch. He noted that MFP has been a collaborative platform for multiple stakeholders and has produced significant outcomes, including the successful implementation of Indonesia’s Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK) and Indonesia’s distinction as the first country to sign a FLEGT-VPA agreement.
“Multi-Stakeholder Forestry Programme is not a new initiative. Since Phase 1 in 2000, it has delivered meaningful results, including strong legal frameworks for timber and enhanced institutional collaboration,” said Minister Antoni. “With Phase 5, we will continue to improve forest governance, uphold legality of forest products, and support the welfare of communities—especially those living near forest areas.”
The Minister emphasized the need to strengthen forest governance to increase the carrying capacity and resilience of Indonesia’s forests. He underscored the importance of balancing economic development with environmental protection and stated that MFP Phase 5 will help achieve this balance.
UK Ambassador to Indonesia Dominic Jermey underscored the importance of international cooperation in addressing climate change and forest protection. “No country can tackle climate change alone. The future of Indonesia’s forests is critical to global biodiversity and requires cooperation between governments and communities to ensure long-term conservation,” Ambassador Jermey said.
He added that the partnership under MFP Phase 5 also offers economic opportunities, including for small and medium-sized enterprises and other businesses in both Indonesia and the UK that work with sustainable forest-based products.
MFP Phase 5 is guided by a Programme Steering Committee (PSC) comprising representatives from both governments and relevant stakeholders. The programme will support strengthening institutional capacity at national and local levels, enhancing transparency and inclusivity in forest management, refining systems for sustainability and legality such as the SVLK, and expanding market access for Indonesian forest products.
The programme aims to deliver a more robust and consistently implemented forest governance system by 2029, strengthening Indonesia’s role in global climate and biodiversity agendas in line with its FOLU Net Sink 2030 commitments. (*)
