Indonesia Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting Raja Ampat at IUCN Event
The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States, Indroyono Soesilo, has asserted that protecting Raja Ampat, which holds strategic significance for Indonesia, also means safeguarding one of the world’s vital marine hearts.
This statement was made as Raja Ampat became a focal point of discussion during the “Raja Selamanya Alliance Dinner,” organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in collaboration with Earthbar in New York, USA, on Monday (21/9).
“Protecting Raja Ampat is not merely about preserving an Indonesian tourist destination, but about protecting one of the world’s marine life hearts. Indonesia has both the responsibility and the opportunity to demonstrate that nature conservation can go hand in hand with community prosperity,” said Indroyono, via a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Washington received in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The event brought together various diplomats, conservation leaders, philanthropists, and international organisations to strengthen a collective commitment to preserving Raja Ampat as one of the marine areas with the highest biodiversity in the world.
Ambassador Indroyono stated that the Indonesian government is currently preparing 13 national parks as pilot projects towards world-class conservation management, including Raja Ampat National Park.
At the forum, Indonesia emphasised that conservation must be able to deliver direct benefits to the people of Raja Ampat, ranging from the development of sustainable fisheries, responsible tourism, and the creation of green jobs, to education and the strengthening of the local economy.
The Raja Ampat UNESCO Global Geopark covers approximately 3.7 million hectares, encompassing seas, island clusters, karst areas, forests, and geologically significant landscapes.
Its waters serve as a habitat for more than 1,600 species of coral fish and over 550 species of coral, making it one of the richest marine biodiversity centres on the planet.
Raja Ampat is not positioned solely as a premier tourist destination, but represents a national mandate and part of Indonesia’s contribution to global environmental preservation efforts.