APEC wraps up biodiversity workshop

JAKARTA: Over 80 participants representing 19 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) concluded on Tuesday a two-day workshop on "Trade and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity", producing recommendations to be presented at the grouping's next meeting to be turned into concrete programs.

The workshop, which was opened on Monday by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda, aimed to create dialog between APEC economies on the use of biological resources in a sustainable manner for the region's future.

One recommendation is to develop a tripartite cooperation and dialog involving governments, the private sector and civil society to ensure that the general interests of current and future generations are met.

"We must also consider the importance of coordination, efficiency and capacity building for economies to extract the greatest benefit from biodiversity," said Dian Triansyah Djani, director Intra-Regional Cooperation for Asia Pacific and Africa at the foreign ministry.

Participants also recognized the need to protect the rights of indigenous communities and to create a balanced framework to protect biodiversity while at the same time, provide access and technology to human resources. -- JP