Indonesia Invites Japan to Develop World Mangrove Centre

Indonesia has invited Japan to strengthen cooperation on mangrove ecosystem management through the development of a World Mangrove Centre (WMC). The initiative is expected to become a platform for global collaboration in research, capacity building, knowledge exchange, and innovation development to support climate change mitigation and adaptation. The invitation was conveyed during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forestry Ministers’ Meeting in Shenzhen, China. Laksmi Wijayanti, Director General of Sustainable Forest Management at the Ministry of Forestry, stated that Indonesia wants to ensure forestry cooperation with Japan yields concrete benefits for both nations. “Indonesia considers it important that bilateral cooperation focuses on several tangible outcomes, namely the effective implementation of two JICA projects, the development of the World Mangrove Centre collaboration, technical support for forest carbon, the development of the Sister Park concept, and the implementation of well-functioning wildlife conservation cooperation. We hope coordination between officials and implementing agencies of both countries continues so that these initiatives can be realised into concrete and mutually beneficial activities,” Laksmi said on Monday. According to the Ministry of Forestry, the World Mangrove Centre is being developed as an international collaboration hub for mangrove ecosystem management through research, capacity building, knowledge exchange, and innovation to support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. Beyond the WMC development, Indonesia offered to strengthen national park management cooperation through the Sister Park initiative, the organisation of a Joint National Park Workshop, biodiversity conservation, and preparations for wildlife conservation cooperation related to the planned loan of Komodo dragons to Japan, while adhering to national regulations and international animal welfare standards. The two countries also discussed strengthening cooperation in combating illegal logging and enhancing trade in legal and sustainable forest products, including dialogue on the interoperability of Indonesia’s Timber Legality and Sustainability Verification System (SVLK) with Japan’s Clean Wood Act provisions. Eiji Tanimura, Deputy Director General of Japan’s Forestry Agency, welcomed the proposals and expressed hope that forestry cooperation between the two countries would continue to expand. “We hope Indonesia and Japan can continue to broaden cooperation in various forestry sectors and make it an increasingly important part of both countries’ policies. Beyond continuing existing cooperation, we also hope this collaboration can develop into a wider scope and further strengthen relations between Indonesia and Japan in the future,” Eiji said.